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.
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 Jerry Woods
For six years listeners have been enjoying the WGTS 91.9 Summer Concert Series with Tysons Corner Center. It’s the station’s premier summer event on Friday evenings on a large outdoor plaza. This year the pandemic changed everything, but the series continued, albeit in a new format.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard and Jenevieve Lettsome
Many churches across the Columbia Union Conference are still closed for in-person worship due to the coronavirus pandemic, including all churches in the Allegheny East and West conferences. Churches in the New Jersey Conference have experienced 38 deaths as a result of COVID-19. Eighty percent of these churches are now open at 25 percent capacity, reported President Dave Weigley at the September 17 Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
Pick up an issue of the Visitor magazine, and you’ll find her imprint all over it. Open a program for any Columbia Union Conference event, and you’ll feel her style. Browse columbiaunion.org, and you’ll see her meticulous attention to detail.
Kelly Butler Coe, art director and graphic designer for the Visitor at the Columbia Union, has been an assistant director of Communication since 2000. Today she was promoted to associate director during the Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting.
Story by Benia Jennings
Young adults are becoming more absent from churches. Finding creative ways to minister to this age-group is a well-known challenge, not only in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but within other denominations as well.
Editorial by Rick Remmers
These are five life-saving words. When each day seems to bring a heavy weight of chaos, conflict and uncertainty, these simple words of Jesus have a great impact: “I will give you rest.” He prefaces these words with an open invitation: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden” (Matt. 11:28, NKJV).
These words are given by the One who spoke and created the world. The One whose voice called out, “Peace, be still,” and the storm stopped and the waves were calmed. This same Jesus is the guarantor of our rest. He is willing and able to provide rest as a free gift, without reservation.