Who We Are, How We Serve

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.

Mission Values 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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Tireless for God

Jane Odero

Story by Celeste Ryan Blyden

Until recently Jane Odero served as a pastor in western Kenya’s Nyalgunga district. During her time in this largely un-entered region, she shepherded a district with five churches and two companies, and worked to revive three more companies.

Odero previously served as a literature evangelist in Kenya for 17 years, and, in 2016, became one of six female pastors in her conference. During the two years as a district leader, she helped to bring 105 people to Christ through six evangelistic meetings, camp meetings and personal evangelism efforts.

Maryland Members Start Prayer Line for Families Separated at Border

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Like many Americans, Sylvia Urrutia and Anissa Pérez, members of Potomac Conference’s Arise Hispanic-American Company in Silver Spring, Md., felt emotionally drained the past few weeks, watching families be torn apart on the U.S./Mexico border while trying to enter the country.

“As we struggle with feelings of helplessness, we try to find ways to help or make a difference in the lives of these precious little ones and their families. As constantly as they are on our mind, just as constantly have our hearts turned to prayer,” says Urrutia, whose parents immigrated from Argentina before she was born.

There's Room for Everyone to Serve

Photo by New Life Church Collingwood from Flickr

Editorial by Jorge Aguero

In a previous issue, we featured a group identified as chaplains. This raised questions about the role and function of members and chaplains, and I want to clarify.

In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, chaplains are ministers with conference-issued credentials who are granted ecclesiastical endorsement to serve in specialized ministries on school campuses, in corrections and healthcare facilities, the military, the workplace and community. Whether salaried or volunteer, before using the title chaplain, a person must complete required training and fieldwork.