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.
Editorial by Bill Miller
The book of Acts recounts the church’s ability to function together, as well as the struggles and successes encountered when a church body attempts to fulfill the Great Commission. While their involvement took some prodding from the Holy Spirit, they became active agents for the mission of heaven. In Acts of the Apostles, Ellen White reminds us that “one common interest controlled them—the success of the mission entrusted to them” (p. 70).
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
This week the Supreme Court of the United States of America decided in favor of Jack Phillips, a Christian baker in Colorado, who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because of his religious convictions. The case, watched closely by religious liberty experts, highlighted the tension between gay rights and same-sex interests and the rights of those with religious convictions who feel that providing certain services to same-sex individuals violates their right to practice their religion.
The couple filed a charge of discrimination, saying that Phillips violated the public accommodations law of Colorado that prohibits businesses from discriminatorily refusing services to protected classes, which include sexual orientation.
The Columbia Union Conference Adventist Community Services (ACS), NAD ACS and Allegheny East Conference's Miracle City church in Baltimore are partnering to help clean-up flood damage in Maryland. They need your help!
See the note from the NAD ACS for more information.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
This coming fall, all Columbia Union Conference elementary students will be studying Bible class with the new Adventist Encounter Bible Curriculum. High school classes across the union already use this program that promotes the Bible as the primary textbook, and encourages a deeper relationship with God through hands-on activities.
Story by Jessica Beans
Kettering College (Ohio), a fully accredited, coeducational college that specializes in health science education, broke its summer enrollment record for the second consecutive year. The college increased its opening enrollment by 11.8 percent, with a total of 722 students enrolled for the 2018 summer semester. Last summer, the college recorded a previous high of 646 students for the summer 2017 semester.
The college also reached a record high of summer full-time students with 418, an increase of 9.4 percent, passing the previous high of 382 in summer 2016. Kettering College also reached its record summer credit hours of 6200, an increase of 14.7 percent, passing the previous high of 5404 for the summer 2017 semester.