Who We Are, How We Serve

The Columbia Union Conference, established in 1907 to coordinate the Seventh-day Adventist Church's work in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, is part of the worldwide Protestant denomination of 23 million members in more than 212 countries. At the union level, we connect and provide administrative leadership, governance and support services to our conferences, schools, health care networks and ministries. Each year, our organizations sponsor programs and projects that address human needs, improve quality of life and introduce people to Jesus. Read our Mission, Values and Priorities.

We Believe

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.

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Williamsport SDA Church, Ramon J. Canals

Story by Andre Hastick

Recently, the Williamsport (Md.) church held Sabbath School Alive, a one-day training seminar to equip Sabbath School leaders to create more engaging experiences for class attendees by focusing on prayer, Bible study, fellowship and mission. Guest speaker Ramon J. Canals (pictured), director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries for the General Conference, trained participants by helping them develop practical plans to make each Sabbath School class vibrant.

Virtual Visitor 5K/1 Mile Walk/Run

Story by Patricia M. Mosby

When we were teenagers, my grandmother used to urge my sister and I to get out of bed early and get to work. “Stop practicing death,” she would say. She wanted us to enjoy God’s delights for the day.

With three parents between my husband, Kevin, and I who have lived past the age of 80, we’ve found that it is possible to stay healthy longer. And, why shouldn’t we want to? God has given us an opportunity to share the gospel in a healthy way: by being as physically fit as possible.

Photo by istock

For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, NIV).

This short verse contains guidance on how to live our lives.

Will the current pandemic pass? When? How much longer will it last?
Will my life ever calm down again? In the midst of this storm, time is not standing still; it is not waiting for me to catch up. It will not go back to redeem days. I am not getting any younger. In fact, to the contrary, every joint in my body is starting to hurt.

Image from istock

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105, NKJV).

Friday was almost over. Our Pathfinder club had settled in a beautiful open field close to a stream with just a few feet of forest between our camp and the creek.

My friend and I volunteered to get water for the evening’s activities. But soon the sun started to set, and the forest got dark fast. By the time we filled our buckets, the forest was pitch black.