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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Teacher 'Summer Schools' at Library of Congress

TA Teacher Shaun Robinson (pictured left) attended a Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institute

Story by Salena Featherstone

Most teachers can’t wait to be off for the summer. No more grading, lesson planning, noisy classrooms or ringing bells. Shortly after summer hits, however, many teachers begin to miss their students, classrooms and joy that being a Christian school teacher brings. Some of them, like Takoma Academy Life Sciences teacher Shaun Robinson (pictured), seek out professional development opportunities, seminars or workshops to help them add more resources to their educational toolbox.

Adjust and Adapt

Jyremy Reid displays his art.

“When I am able to see [art] and how it relates to a message, I grasp it a lot better. ... The majority of my generation and later are more visual and kinesthetic learners. Times are changing, and we should definitely adjust and adapt,” says Jyremy Reid (pictured), Potomac Conference’s communication specialist intern, who also hosts the new Potomac People podcast.

Reid recently painted “Mercy, Justice” while Reed Richardi, associate pastor of Potomac’s New Market (Va.) church, preached on Zephaniah 3:17.

Blue Mountain Academy Students Rise for Exercise

Senior Annelise Jacobs starts the day off stretching as part of this school year’s morning workout.

 Story by Tamyra Horst

As the sun begins to rise, so do the students at Blue Mountain Academy (BMA)—for a 6:30 a.m. exercise class. Principal Burney Culpepper runs them through a vigorous morning workout.

When the school year began, some groaned about having to get up so early. Midway through the year, the exercise time was cancelled during FOCUS week to give students early morning quiet time. Surprisingly, students weren’t happy; they had discovered the benefits of starting their day with exercise.

Book Release: Pursued

Image from freephotos on Pixabay

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

“Thankfulness and worship do marvelous things for the believer. They assess a proper value for the astonishing gift of grace Jesus provided for us. No matter what type of sin we have been involved in, it created a debt we cannot pay. Only because of God’s amazing grace can we still live and breathe— and that is deserving of our gratitude,” writes Lola Moore Johnston, senior pastor of Potomac Conference’s Woodbridge (Va.) church, in her new book, Pursued.