Executive Committee Approves COVID-19 Economic Relief Funds to Conferences, WAU

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Columbia Union Conference leadership expected a 40 percent drop in tithe for the January–May 2020 quarter. “God has turned it around and has been gracious,” said Emmanuel Asiedu, Columbia Union treasurer, who reported only about a 4.5 percent drop in tithe (not all conferences experienced a drop) at a Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting July 8 (via Zoom).

At that meeting, committee members approved $1.4 million in COVID-19 stimulus funds to be sent to the union’s conferences and Washington Adventist University to balance the drop in tithe and to help support education, as the pandemic may continue to economically impact members. The North American Division has also given $600,000 that will also be distributed in the reflected totals below.

Conferences will receive the following amounts based on tithe percentages:

Allegheny East Conference: $435,444.51
Allegheny West: $111,306.97
Chesapeake: $255,236.74
Mountain View: $103,227.36
New Jersey: $227,156.79
Ohio: $161,146.11
Pennsylvania: $171,164.11
Potomac: $435,002.35
Washington Adventist University (WAU): $100,000