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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WGTS Hands & Heart Volunteers Make Sandwiches for the homeless.

Story by Jerry Woods

WGTS 91.9’s “Hands and Heart” initiative is providing more opportunities this year for listeners to be involved in the community.  On Martin Luther King Jr. Day the WGTS 91.9 staff and Hands and Heart volunteers took over the Central Union Mission in Washington D.C.  The team served meals, made beds, cleaned the mission, prayer walked around the mission and lead out in worship and a special MLK Day service for the men at the mission. Throughought the day the WGTS team served over 150 homeless men.

Richardson Chatham

Story by Donna Bigler

Washington Adventist University (WAU) faculty, staff, students, alumni, family and friends are heartbroken to learn of Richardson Chatham’s passing. On Sunday, January 22, 2017, Chatham passed away in his sleep. He was 24 years old.  

Chatham was an adjunct professor for WAU’s traditional program and a teaching assistant and tutor for the Religion Department.  He was a 2013 alumnus of WAU and was pursuing a master’s degree in Religion at WAU's School of Graduate and Professional Studies. 

Story by Shelley Nolan Freesland

The Adventist World Radio (AWR) Board of Directors has elected Duane McKey as the new president of Adventist World Radio, replacing Dowell Chow, who has served as president for the past six years. McKey has been director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries at the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as well as assistant to Ted Wilson, the president of the denomination, for Total Member Involvement since 2015. Prior to that, he was vice president of the Southwestern Union Conference in Texas, USA, and president of the Arizona Conference.