Making an Impact in the Columbia Union and Beyond: Executive Committee Encouraged by Year-End Reports

By V. Michelle Bernard with contributions by Nii Ayite Hammond and Michele Joseph

Making an Impact in Ghana

Members of the Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee met Thursday for their last meeting in 2024.

In her worship thought, Celeste Ryan Blyden, Columbia Union executive secretary, shared a video about the work she and a team of some 20 union volunteers accomplished to present “Our Future Foretold”—an evangelism and mission initiative in Cape Coast, Ghana, this past summer.

The 11-day evangelism series, presented by Blyden, aired on Hope Chanel Ghana and featured preaching and seminars on mental health, leadership, evangelism, communication, and marriage and family life.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ghana Union city of Kumasi, Emmanuel Asiedu, union treasurer, and his wife, Annette, a nurse, worked with Jacob Prabhakar Chiadrupu, a Seventh-day Adventist eye surgeon from India, whose team of eight members screened about 10,000 patients who had eye problems. In six days, they performed free eye surgeries for 1,059 patients, including children. 

While final numbers are still being tallied from the registered sites across Ghana, church leaders report that 1,163 people gave their lives to Christ.  

Marcellus T. Robinson, union president, thanked Adventist HealthCare and Kettering Health for making the trip possible. (READ MORE ABOUT THE TRIP NEXT WEEK.)

During his report, Robinson shared a snapshot of his extensive meeting and travel schedule sitting on boards across the union and beyond; and how he’s delighted to get to know and work with members and various entities across the union. He said that at the various meetings he attends, people from other church entities continue to ask him for advice on how the union manages its many projects that help others abroad.  

Celebrating Baptisms and Membership Growth

José D. Espósito, assistant to the president for Evangelism, shared that as of Nov. 12, 4,968 individuals have been baptized in the union this year—averaging 16 new members daily.

Espósito and the evangelism directors in the union’s eight conferences are continuing to prepare for Pentecost 2025. The union will host a training for the upcoming initiative Jan. 17–19 at the North American Division headquarters in Columbia, Md. (Click here to sign up.)

Rubén A. Ramos, union vice president for Multilingual Ministries and the Ministerial director, thanked the pastors for their hard work. “Without their contribution, their inspiration, their dedicated work—nothing would happen in our organization,” he said. 

Ramos also highlighted the growth of Hispanic members. In 2008, the union had 19,056 Hispanic members. In 2023, that number more than doubled to 42,208 members. 

He noted that Potomac Conference exceeded the goal of baptizing 1,000 members from October 2023 to October 2024, and Chesapeake Conference celebrated 40 years of Hispanic Ministries, among other highlights among the Hispanic population.

Ramos also shared that over the last two years, his office helped distribute 32,320 Bibles, 225,800 Steps to Christ and 26,100 Bible study guides to conferences and members. “My dream is to serve them better,” he said. 

The Future of the Church Is Local

Frank Bondurant, union vice president for Ministries Development, gave a report highlighting the $722,955 total expended funds to be returned to the union’s entities by the end of the year. 

“Jesus said you receive not because you ask not,” said Bondurant. “Well, we did a lot of asking.” Some of those union funds will be used for 51 church plants; 32 homeland mission projects; five church revitalization projects, $20,000 toward young adult projects; $15,000 toward community service projects; and one urban center of influence.

He added that his department’s job is to ensure local conference directors are prepared and ready to do their jobs—such as training local Sabbath School leaders on the new Sabbath School curriculum that is to be rolled out in 2025.

The Longest Running Evangelism in the Church

“We’re nurturing a lifelong encounter with Christ,” said Donovan Ross, union vice president for Education. He noted the success of Adventist education, with students scoring in the top percentile in MAP, SAT and ACT tests. “Adventist education is the longest running evangelism that we have in the church,” he said.

He noted that opening enrollment for the current school year was 7,524—453 less than last year, but that private education across North America is also experiencing a decline in enrollment. “People aren’t having as many children,” he added. “The good news is that our schools are thriving.”

A Rich History 

In her report, Kelly Butler Coe, union vice president for Communication, noted she is proud of the Visitor magazine’s rich history. She said that “the team works very hard to create different content—photos, stories and videos—for both websites and social media. Seeking to help engage all generations, Coe noted the various social media platforms the Communication staff use to reach varying audiences.

She also noted that this past summer the department hired Brooklyne Nickell, an intern. Coe enjoys these types of opportunities in which she can encourage and introduce young people to Adventist Church work—in hopes that one day they will choose church employment.

Prayer to be Emphasized in 2025

Blyden shared several scheduled 2025 events, including the prayer emphasis theme for 2025. She said the union will lead a monthly online prayer gathering throughout the year in an effort for spiritual renewal. She also gave a few membership statistics, including a global membership of 23,235,925 and a total of 175,144 churches and companies, as of June 30.

She also noted Kettering Health’s 22nd Charity Luncheon for Women’s Wellness that raised a record $166,000 for women battling cancer. 

Every Dollar Is Traceable

Asiedu shared that “now is the time for us to see how we have used the resources entrusted to us. In the union, every dollar is traceable. … Every dollar is used to the glory of God.”

Asiedu said that, as of September, union tithe has increased 0.59 percent; the union has 135 days of cash; and the union has a working capital of 146 percent, concluding that “finances continue to be strong.”

He explained that 60 percent of tithe revenue is used for reversions, appropriations, audit costs for union entities and other related services for local conferences. He added the evangelism tithe reversion was $2,569,663—a six percent increase.

Health Care Entities and Washington Adventist University Provide Updates

John Sackett, president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare, and Michael Gentry, CEO of Kettering Health, shared that both organizations are continuing to evaluate how they serve their communities—including looking at new partnerships and areas of service. 

Weymouth Spence, president of Washington Adventist University (WAU), reported the school is committed to training workers that the church needs. “Our vision continues to be the same: to produce competent moral leaders to serve the world,” he said.

Spence also noted that, over the next 90 days, WAU will be featured on Viewpoint With Dennis Quaid on PBS stations.