This week at the Columbia Union Conference Board of Education and Executive Committee meetings, the Office of Education staff reported on Columbia Union’s 2025–26 enrollment numbers. The numbers are as follows:
505 students in eight Early Childhood Education stand-alone centers
2,757 students in 52 schools offering grades PK–8 or K–8
697 students in six junior academies
541 students in four boarding academies
2,177 students in nine senior academies
Total numbers include:
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
At today’s Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting, delegates voted Jose Vazquez to be the new vice president for Ministries Development.
Vazquez served as the vice president of Administration for the Potomac Conference for the last six years.
Story by Evan Knott
The “Revelation Today: Hope for Humanity” evangelistic series concluded on Nov. 1 at Goucher College in Baltimore with a special evening baptism service celebrating 14 new members joining the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The baptisms are part of the year-long Reach Baltimore 2025 evangelistic initiative, with additional baptisms taking place in local churches and more scheduled before year’s end.
After a short concert and homily, attendees made their way to the Goucher College pool, where 14 people were baptized by Chesapeake and Allegheny East conference pastors. The pool area was crowded with church members from the Baltimore area who sang as candidates made their way to the pool.
Story by WGTS Staff
WGTS 91.9 wrapped up the fair season with an incredible performance from country-Christian artist phenom Anne Wilson. Over 2,000 people gathered in the grandstand of the “Great Frederick Fair” to sing along with new hits like “God Story” and “My Jesus.” “Caleb and John” kicked off the night with their high energy style including their song “Hallelujah Feeling.”
“It was a great mix of “My Jesus,” cowboy boots, and funnel cakes,” said WGTS director promotions and community engagement, Ken Scribner. “This was a very different crowd, and they were so into the music. We’re going to go anywhere people are praising Jesus, and this was a great night under the stars.”
This is the third year that WGTS has partnered with the “Great Frederick Fair” which is one of the largest fairs in the state of Maryland.
Story by New Jersey Conference Staff
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Pastor LeRoy Finck, former president of the New Jersey Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Pastor Finck passed away on October 27, 2025, after a lifetime devoted to ministry, leadership, and service to the Lord. His unwavering faith and dedication to the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church left a lasting impact on all who knew him.
Pastor Finck is survived by his beloved wife, Marjorie, his son Kevin, and his daughter Christi. From 2000 to 2007, Pastor Finck served as President of the New Jersey Conference, and for a short time thereafter as Executive Secretary. "His administration was marked by spiritual integrity, thoughtful stewardship, and genuine care for pastors, members, and ministries across New Jersey," said Elder Jose Cortes (pictured with his wife, Celia, on the right; Jim and Joyce Greene, on the left; and the Fincks, center) who served alongside him as executive secretary and later as conference president.
Read articles from the November/December 2025 Visitor here.
In a world that can often feel lonely or uncertain, many long for the assurance that we are never alone. Here, we share stories of those who found a welcoming spiritual home.
Story by Amanda Blake
Romita Mandal had known Mr. Matthie for more than a decade. He’d been her elementary and middle school strings director, and, when she reached high school, her private violin instructor.
“Sometimes, we wouldn’t unpack the violin,” she shares. “Sometimes, I would just have a breakdown on the couch, and he would help me and be a mentor.”
Finding Home
Mandal grew up with a Hindu mom and an atheist dad. She aligned more with her dad, whom she describes as scientifically minded with no space for spirituality—yet, unlike him, Mandal believed that God existed.
Mandal independently studied parts of the Bible, including the Ten Commandments, and found it puzzling that churches didn’t worship on the seventh day.
One day, after speaking with Mandal about God, Matthie offered to spend time with her to answer any “God questions” she might have. She accepted, and they eventually began studying the Bible together once a week.
Illustration by Brooklyne Nickell
Thanksgiving and Christmas are awesome times to celebrate with family and friends! Many churches like to decorate, distribute food baskets and remember Jesus’ birth.
You can also help families all over the world by sponsoring gifts from ADRA’s 2025 Gift Catalog at giftcatalog.adra.org!
Check out the scene below, and see if you can find these hidden items inspired by gifts in the catalog: Blanket, Baby Chick, Goat, Honeybee, Seed packets, Water Bucket
The Association of Adventist Women (AAW) recently awarded Griselda Jobe the 2025 Junia Award for pioneering work in rural pastoral ministry. She is the lead pastor of Potomac Conference’s Martinsville and Piney Forest churches in Virginia.
“Griselda Jobe received the Junia Award for pioneering work as one of a few ordained female lead pastors in a rural multi-church district in the North American Division,” states Nerida Bates, president of AAW.
Columbia Union Conference’s Office of Multilingual Ministries recently helped facilitate the distribution of 152,849 books to conferences in the Columbia Union.
The 15,520 small Bibles, 86,400 Steps to Christ in Spanish, 50,600 Steps to Christ in English and 329 family Bibles books were distributed to pastors, who then shared them with church and community members.