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.
Former Councilwoman Deborah A. Hill recently published "The Power of Encouragement" Determinations That Define Your Destiny.
Her book shares encouragement and how your dreams with God's help can take you from your history into your destiny. Hill is an Elder at The Southeast Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. The book can be purchased onlulu.com, amazon.com, and barnes & noble.com. Visit her website at www.deborahahill.com.
Pathfinders from around the Columbia Union Conference will gather at the Sckuykill County Fairground October 6 - October 9 for the union camporee themed "Fearless."
Camporee News
Story by Jessica Beans
With a total of 759 students enrolled for fall semester, Kettering College in Dayton, Ohio, has increased its opening enrollment for the 2016 school year by 3.8 percent.
This increase in enrollment reverses a three-year trend of declining enrollment as well as reversing a five-year decline in total credit hours taken by full time students. The number of full time enrolled students is the highest it has been since fall of 2013.
According to the school’s final opening report, 452 full-time and 307 part-time (three-quarter time or less) students had registered for fall classes, for an overall count that was 27 more than fall 2015.
Story by Heidi Shoemaker
Members of seven churches in northeastern Ohio, along with the Ohio Conference, have been on a journey of faith this year. The July/August 2016 issue of the Visitor shared how educational evangelism grew a rural school in Clarksfield. In the last few months, they have outgrown their building. Thus, a united body—including students, parents, teachers, pastors, members and conference leaders—prayed earnestly for a new school.
Story by John Bradshaw
More than 70 years ago an unlikely hero saved the lives of dozens of American soldiers during one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Now his story is about to explode onto movie screens all over the world (U.S. release scheduled for Nov. 4); and the international press are already hailing “Hacksaw Ridge” as a potential Oscar winner.
The film tells the story of Corporal Desmond Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist combat medic who single-handedly rescued 75 soldiers during the battle of Okinawa, in the midst of a hail of enemy gunfire. As a result of his bravery, Desmond Doss was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest military honor.
While Doss’ story has been told many times, Hacksaw Ridge is the first feature film to recount his remarkable heroism. The movie is directed by Hollywood heavyweight Mel Gibson, who having fallen foul of Hollywood and the media on numerous occasions, may finally have found redemption, according to critics. David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter has called the film a “forceful comeback.” Hacksaw Ridge received a 10-minute standing ovation following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.