The Columbia Union Conference coordinates the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s work in the Mid-Atlantic United States, where 150,000 members worship in 860 congregations. We provide administrative support to eight conferences; two healthcare networks; 81 early childhood, elementary and secondary schools; a liberal arts university; a health sciences college; a 49 community services centers; 8 camps; 5 book and health food stores and a radio station.
God is love, power, and splendor—and God is a mystery. His ways are far beyond us, but He still reaches out to us. God is infinite yet intimate, three yet one,
all-knowing yet all-forgiving.
Story by Celeste Ryan Blyden
Hamlet Canosa, EdD, vice president for Education at the Columbia Union Conference, today announced plans to retire in June after 24 years of service in this territory and a total of 44 for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Story by Edwin Manuel Garcia
The worldwide refugee crisis is prompting the United States to open its immigration doors to a larger number of people from regions in turmoil. According to the United States Department of State, nearly 70,000 refugees came to the U.S. last year—the world’s top resettlement location—yet recent political instability in Asia, Central America, the Middle East and Africa will boost admissions to 85,000 this year and 100,000 in 2017.
This dramatic increase will undoubtedly enhance the chances that families fleeing persecution may move into our communities in the near future. How should Seventh-day Adventists respond when refugees from Syria, Burma, Iraq, Honduras, Guatemala and other nations become our neighbors?
"Awe-inspiring" mission in Belize broadens nursing student’s perspective
Story by Jessica Beans
Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning WGTS 91.9 listeners stepped up to impact the lives of children around the world with a Compassion drive. By the end of morning show on Friday, listeners had sponsored a station record of more than 860 children, primarily in Haiti and South America.
“When I think of my kids, I can’t imagine putting them to bed crying because their tummies hurt from hunger. When I think about all our listeners did through Compassion the last couple days I think about the parents who now have the assurance that their child won’t go to bed hungry tonight,” says Kevin Krueger, general manager.
For more than 60 years Compassion has been working to release children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty. They work in 26 countries to empower today’s children to be tomorrow’s responsible and fulfilled adults.
We found nine amazing ACS volunteers—including a trio of motorcycle “ministers”—who go the extra mile year-round to help those in need in their mid-Atlantic neighborhoods.
Story by Mark Tyler
Eight women gathered for a prayer group in Battle Creek, Mich., more than 140 years ago with a central idea: the church should provide food and clothing to needy families, minister to the sick and care for the fatherless and widows. Born from that 1874 meeting came the Dorcas Society, an association of female members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that grew to assist countless people in need throughout North America and beyond.
“Those volunteers did such amazing work that almost anywhere in the world, even today, people remember the selfless women of the Dorcas Society,” explains Minnie McNeil, Adventist Community Services (ACS) coordinator for the Columbia Union Conference and director for the Allegheny East Conference.
Today the work of those service-minded ladies continues through ACS, and has expanded to include men, teens and whole families who volunteer together to extend God’s love to others. The Columbia Union is currently home to 14 official ACS centers run by Adventist members who dedicate their time to spread Jesus’ love in ways the early Dorcas ladies may have only imagined.