Columbia Union Votes Location, Director for its School of Evangelism

At its mid-year meetings, the Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee vote several key initiatives and recommendations. 

Story by Taashi Rowe

Columbia Union officers Rob Vandeman, executive secretary; Dave Weigley, president; and Seth Bardu, treasurer, listen to reports.

During the Columbia Union Conference’s mid-year meetings held this week, church leaders gathered for presidents’ council, administrators’ council and the Washington Adventist University Board of Trustees. The group voted to go forward with proposals for a Columbia Union school of evangelism for young adults that would be based in Philadelphia. The school will be launched in September 2015 with a goal of 16 students who will study a curriculum focused on homiletics, leading Bible studies, small group leadership, urban ministry, health ministries and nonprofit leadership. They also voted a director of the school who is prayerfully considering the call.

2015 Evangelism Initiatives Shared

Rubén Ramos, vice president for Multilingual Ministries, also reported on a yearlong evangelism program for Hispanic churches slated for 2015 under the theme “Vivangelismo” (LivEvangelism). The theme reflects a belief that everything the church does, in one way or another, is about bringing people to Christ. The year would start out with a lay festival in Ocean City, Md., in February and end with a weeklong caravan of harvesting in November. Throughout the year, Ramos hopes to see at least 1,000 small groups formed, 15 new churches planted and 2,500 new disciples baptized across the union.

Frank Bondurant, vice president for Missions Development, also shared an evangelism plan for 2015 for English-speaking churches that would include the partnership of Allegheny East, Chesapeake and Potomac conferences. The three conferences will share resources and, starting April 11, launch various evangelism outreach efforts.

Young Adults Recommend Inclusion

Young Adult Advisory members include (first row) Natalie Chandler, Marcia Moore, Claudia Hernandez Barrientos, (back row) Tim Ko, Sanjay Thomas and Jason Ridley.

The group also voted to approve two recommendations from the young adult advisory subcommittee. Each conference executive committee must have at least one young adult member and each conference should appoint a young adult coordinator. Why make those recommendations? “Young adults are leaving our churches at an alarming rate,” shared Sanjay Thomas, who chairs the subcommittee. “When it comes to reclaiming and re-engaging young adults, the Columbia Union wants to take the lead and we don’t think there is a conference here that doesn’t want to do the same.”

Also today the union released its 2013 annual report, themed “Tell of His Good Deeds” highlighting its accomplishments as well as reports from its education and healthcare ministries and in-house departments and services. It also includes the union’s 2013 financial statement, which showed a $3 million tithe increase. “This is really a praise report that illustrates how God is working in and through His people in the Columbia Union,” said Celeste Ryan Blyden, vice president for public relations and strategic communication. The report is available online at columbiaunion.org/annualreport.

Blyden also interviewed Albert Kelly, a member of Allegheny East’s Bethany church in Bridgeton, N.J., founder of an anti-poverty agency and mayor of Bridgeton, which has a population of 25,000. Kelly shared how his faith informs his work in each area and how his efforts to build relationships are raising awareness of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in southern New Jersey. Read the interview here.

Rob Vandeman, Columbia Union executive secretary; Fred Manchur, president of Kettering Adventist Healthcare; Seth Bardu, Columbia Union treasurer; and Dave Weigley, Columbia Union president; lay hands on Terry Forde, new president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare.

The new president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare was also introduced and he shared his vision for the future of Adventist HealthCare.