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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Story by Elizabeth Anderson

Six women leaders in the Seventh-day Adventist Church reflect on their journeys to ministry and leadership lessons learned along the way. 

Teresa Ferreira
Executive Secretary, Maritime Conference

A year ago, if someone would have told me I’d be here, I would have said, ‘No way!’” says Teresa Ferreira, who recently assumed a trifold role with Canada’s Maritime Conference as executive secretary, education superintendent and director of Camp Ministries. “But when I received the call, I was humbled,” she adds. “[My husband and I] prayed and stepped forward in faith.”  

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Hao Ya Jie never imagined she would grow up to help establish a strong Adventist presence in her native mainland China, much less lead a 7,000-member church district.

Hao Ya Jie thought her mother was ridiculous because, whenever she met someone new, she would start preaching and sharing the gospel with them. But after reading several of Ellen White’s books herself, she became convinced her mother was doing the right thing. 

Columbia Union Conference president Dave Weigley speaks during the Fall 2017 Annual Council meeting

Story and photo by Adventist Review Staff/Adventist News Network

Following nearly six hours of discussion and debate, a majority of members of the Executive Committee of the General Conference (GC) of Seventh-day Adventists voted during their Annual Council meeting to send a document entitled Procedures for Reconciliation and Adherence in Church Governance: Phase II, back to the Unity in Mission Oversight Committee for further review. 

Photo by thierry ehrmann on Flickr

Washington Adventist University’s 39th G. Arthur Keough Lectureship recently commemorated the fifth centennial of the Reformation (1517 – 2017). Aleksandar S. Santrac, professor of Religion and Chair of the Washington Adventist University Department of Religion, was the featured speaker.

The first lecture (below), The Legacy of Martin Luther’s Sola Scriptura,” re-examines the ecumenical and postmodern dimensions of the legacy of Luther’s Sola Scriptura principle, the reformer’s revolutionary teaching that the Scriptures are the sole infallible rule of faith and practice.