Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

What Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists does

The Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is a regional religious nonprofit organization that coordinates ministries for Seventh-day Adventist churches across Pennsylvania, operating from its main headquarters at 2359 Mountain Road in Hamburg, PA. It serves congregants, youth, families, and Hispanic/Latino community members through a portfolio of programs including camp meetings (at Grove City and Keystone locations), retreats at the owned Laurel Lake Camp & Retreat Center in Rossiter, PA, women's retreats, Hispanic youth conferences, Pathfinder/Adventurer youth clubs, and the CORE evangelism initiative. The organization also administers the DIME Hispanic discipleship certification program in partnership with Andrews University, supports the affiliated Blue Mountain Academy boarding school, and publishes bilingual devotional content ("Back to the Altar" in English and "De Regreso al Altar" in Spanish).

The conference operates without proprietary technology; its core infrastructure consists of a WordPress website (paconference.org), Constant Contact email distribution, Vimeo video storytelling, and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram). Revenue derives from member tithes and offerings, event registration fees (camp meetings $25–$240, women's retreats up to $285, free training events), product sales (devotional books at $15, Pathfinder patches), and planned giving through bequests. GTM is event-driven: engagement is generated through camp meetings, youth rallies, women's retreats, elders training, and Hispanic ministry events, with online registration driving participation across 100+ local Adventist churches throughout Pennsylvania.

Leadership includes President Gary Gibbs, Executive Secretary Shawn Shives (since 2022, former U.S. Marine Corps officer and Georgia-Cumberland Conference pastor), Treasurer Kevin Costello (since 2022, CPA and ordained minister with international Adventist finance experience), and Assistant to the President Kameron DeVasher. The organization is governed under the global Seventh-day Adventist Church constitution and bylaws, with no venture, equity, or public ownership structure.

Name

Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Legal name

Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Website

https://paconference.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is a regional religious nonprofit that coordinates worship, education, youth, and Hispanic ministries for Seventh-day Adventist churches across Pennsylvania, operating camp meetings, retreats, evangelism programs, and the affiliated Blue Mountain Academy and Laurel Lake Camp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAB

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYTHAHACAA

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

SECONDARYEDAHAKAM

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

Keywords

• Religious ministry services
• Denominational conference administration
• Youth ministry programs
• Christian education support
• Camp retreat services

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Members contribute tithes (10% of income) and offerings as part of religious stewardship, supporting the conference's operations and mission work.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from camp meeting registrations, retreats, youth conferences, and training events with various lodging and meal options.
3. Product Sales: Sale of devotional books, patches, and educational materials through the online store.
4. Planned Giving: Bequests and planned gifts support long-term mission objectives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists operates as a regional religious conference providing denominational ministry services, evangelism training, youth programs, retreat and camp meeting lodging, Adventist education support, and health ministries to Seventh-day Adventist churches and members across Pennsylvania. Core offerings include camp meeting and retreat accommodations, the CORE youth evangelism program, Pathfinder/Adventurer youth clubs, devotional book publications, the DIME Hispanic discipleship certification program, and affiliated operations such as Blue Mountain Academy and Laurel Lake Camp & Retreat Center.

Product overview

Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists operates a multi-service ministry platform centered on religious programming, youth development, and retreat facilities. The organization offers Camp Meeting and Retreat Lodging at Grove City and Keystone locations with diverse accommodation options (tents, RVs, cabins, dormitories), evangelism programs including CORE youth initiatives and Bible study materials like the Back to the Altar devotional books in English and Spanish, and the DIME Hispanic discipleship certification program in partnership with Andrews University. Additional offerings include women's retreats, Hispanic youth conferences, Pathfinder/Adventurer leadership training, and elders training programs. The conference also operates Laurel Lake Camp & Retreat Center as a sub-brand facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Mountain Academy: Adventist education institution providing academic and spiritual development for young people.
• Laurel Lake Camp & Retreat Center
• Laurel Lake Summer Camp
• CORE
• Adventist WholeHealth Network

Products and services

• Camp Meeting & Retreat Lodging Overnight accommodation options for conference camp meetings and retreats including Grove City and Keystone locations with tent sites, RV spots, cabins, and dormitory rooms for Seventh-day Adventist members and attendees.
• CORE (Christ-centered, Outreach, Restoration, Evangelism) Youth evangelism program that transforms lives through Christian outreach and community service initiatives, with options to sponsor students at $100 or make donations. Application fee $35.
• Back to the Altar Devotional Book Collection of devotionals written by members spanning generations from across the Pennsylvania Conference, designed for daily personal or family worship and prayer. Priced at $15 (English) with $5 shipping.
• Back to the Altar Spanish Devotional Book (De Regreso al Altar) Spanish-language devotional collection featuring voices from children to adults, inviting readers to draw nearer to God through worship and prayer. Priced at $15.
• DIME Discipleship Program Hispanic ministry discipleship certification program with coursework 'Transformación y fe: Una visión integral del discipulado', certified by Andrews University. Free training program.
• Fall Women's Retreat Women's retreat at Laurel Lake Camp featuring lodging options including cabin quads/triples/doubles, motel rooms, and commuter meal packages. Motel Single $285, Motel Double $200, Cabin Double $230, etc.
• Hispanic Youth Conference (Crossover) Hispanic youth retreat at Gretna Glen Camp offering cabin lodging with or without electricity. With Electricity $160, Without Electricity $80 (includes meals, sessions, materials, and lodging).
• Pathfinder/Adventurer Patches and Year Bars Official insignia and year markers for Pennsylvania Conference registered Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs, available for purchase through the online store.
• Elders Training 2026 Sessions Five-session free training program designed to spiritually ground, practically equip, and missionally inspire local church elders for faithful service.
• Adiestramiento De Líderes Juveniles (Youth Leadership Training) Training for Adventurer, Pathfinder, and Master Guide club leaders covering certification programs, ministry skills, and leadership development. Adults $20, Children $5.
• Laurel Lake Camp & Retreat Center Conference-owned camp and retreat facility featuring summer camp programs and retreat venues in the rolling hills and hemlock forests of Pennsylvania. Offers lodging, dining, and event space for retreats, summer camp, camp meeting, and family weekend programs.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Adventist WholeHealth NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Adventist WholeHealth Network to create renewed focus on God's plan for healthy living, inviting members and the community to experience God's healing and wholeness through physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness.
• Andrews UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for DIME discipleship certification program. Andrews University provides accreditation for the Discipulado Integral de Ministerio Evangélico (DIME) program offered through Hispanic Ministries.
• Blue Mountain AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated Adventist boarding academy serving students with quality education, spiritual growth, and leadership development. Conference supports and promotes the academy.
• Laurel Lake Camp & Retreat CentercoreOthersConference-owned camp and retreat facility offering lodging, dining, and event space for women's retreats, summer camp, camp meeting, and family weekend programs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hope Channel: Global SDA television and digital media network founded with President Gary Gibbs as founding vice president; offers the closest strategic parallel in media-driven evangelism to the Pennsylvania Conference's Vimeo storytelling and Prophecies of Hope programming.
• Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: The SDA union body coordinating multiple conferences including the Pennsylvania Conference; operates as a broader regional oversight layer with overlapping evangelism, education, and media ministry functions.
• North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church: Continental governing body of the SDA church in North America; sets overarching policy, coordinates media (Hope Channel) and education systems, and provides the structural framework under which conferences like the Pennsylvania Conference operate.
• Andrews University: Flagship SDA institution of higher education that partners with the Pennsylvania Conference to accredit the DIME Hispanic discipleship certification program; comparable as an SDA-aligned education and ministry-training organization.

Emerging players

• Amazing Facts: SDA-affiliated national evangelism and media ministry producing Bible instruction content and evangelistic campaigns; closely comparable to the Pennsylvania Conference's Prophecies of Hope, Winsome Witnessing, and evangelism training programs.

Direct peers

• Ohio Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Neighboring SDA regional conference serving Ohio; provides the same combined church governance, education, retreat, and evangelism portfolio across a single state mission field.
• New Jersey Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Sibling SDA regional conference serving New Jersey; shares the governance, evangelism, education, and camp-meeting operating model with the Pennsylvania Conference.
• Allegheny East Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Another SDA regional conference with overlapping territory (parts of PA, NJ, NY, Delaware); offers directly comparable evangelism, education, and camp-meeting programming against the Pennsylvania Conference.
• New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Neighboring SDA regional conference serving New York State with the same structure of churches, schools, evangelism, and camp operations; directly comparable in scale and ministry mix.
• Chesapeake Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Adjacent SDA regional conference serving Maryland, Delaware, and surrounding areas; provides the same denominational governance, evangelism, education, and camp-meeting model as the Pennsylvania Conference. PA Conference President Gary Gibbs previously served as Chesapeake's Church Growth and Evangelism director.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/paconference
• Facebookfacebook.com/PennsylvaniaConference
• Instagraminstagram.com/paconferencesda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pennsylvania-conference-of-seventh-day-adventists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles27 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists