Columbia Union Treasury Staff Gather for Fall Meeting

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

On Monday, some 80 staff members from treasury and finance departments across the Columbia Union Conference and several other Seventh-day Adventist entities gathered for the Columbia Union Conference 2024 Fall Treasury Meetings. 

Themed “Excellence in His Service,” presenters encouraged attendees to continue ministering to others with excellence.

Marcellus T. Robinson, Columbia Union president, led the worship thought, reminding the crowd that everyone is needed to create a healthy church body. 

“God made you a special gift to His church,” said Robinson. “You are unique, and together we are to complement each other. Even though you may have a diversity of ideas and skills, we all work toward a common goal.”

Throughout the day, presenters talked about the various facets facing leadership and work in the treasury and risk management fields.

Ann Roda, vice president of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care at Adventist HealthCare, reminded attendees that leadership is first an act of service and inspiration. She shared ideas for self-growth to help leaders shift from a self-serving heart mindset to a serving one. 

In her presentation, Chauna-Kaye Pottinger, risk and benefits manager at the Allegheny East Conference, encouraged attendees to create a culture of risk management in their organizations. 

“[Risk management] isn’t something ‘nice’ to have but is a ‘must have,’” said Pottinger. “True risk management does not compete with core ministry operations; it completes it.”

Karen Senecal, vice president for Finance at the Potomac Conference, shared about fund accounting and how it works in the church. 

Greg Iverson, Columbia Union director of Information Technology Services, spoke on cyber security, while other presenters from the General Conference Auditing Service, Adventist Risk Management and the North American Division reported on information happening in their entities.

Kyle John-Baptiste, senior staff accountant at the Allegheny West Conference, says he appreciated the devotional from Robinson and the emphasis on being a servant-leader. He adds that the meeting will help attendees receive updated information needed to do their jobs.