New Church Bio

Expanding Ministry has become the Vision statement for Rev. David Camphouse, who comes to St. Andrew UMC, as an elder in Full-Connection in the United Methodist Church. He has taken this Vision to heart as he has found many ways to be in ministry throughout his years of service in the California-Pacific Annual Conference.

David, as he likes to be called (after all he doesn't run around calling the people in his churches "Congregant Insert Last Name Here") has served most recently at Ojai United Methodist Church, where he helped the church name and claim its own Vision Statement. During that time the church celebrated their 50th Anniversary, reconnected with the Preschool they shepherd, renewed inroads in the community, and welcomed in his replacement - their first female and ethnic pastor. The best part of the year was the birth of his daughter Sophia in July 2008.

In his tenure at Del Rosa United Methodist Church, from 2004-2008, he oversaw the rebuilding of the parsonage and engaged the community in healing after the "Old Fire" of 2003. He participated in the Courts-Clergy conversations, The Non-Profit Executives Network, the Cal-Pac Conference Nominating Committee, and the Christian Educators Fellowship on the Design Team for their conference held in October 2008 in Albuquerque, NM.

David is not new to the Central Coast, as he served at Santa Barbara First United Methodist Church as the Associate Pastor from 1999-2004. It was during this time that he met and married his wife, Rev. Dr. Anna Camphouse, who will be coming to Santa Maria to serve as the Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church. Anna received her Doctor of Ministry Degree this past year from Claremont School of Theology, and brings a background which includes a mission experience in Japan.

As David's resume has widened to include writing for Publication with Bible Lessons for Youth, Christians In Education, National Camp and Retreat Leader's Devotionals, and the recent 40 days of prayer led and organized by young clergy in the United Methodist Church, he has continued to remain involved in Camping ministry, and looks forward to fostering relationships between the local churches in the area and United Methodist Camp Arroyo Grande.

You may have noted that David began the Ojai Geek Breakfast, which was inspired by GeekBreakfast.org. He is a bit of a tech junkie, and blog regularly at revcamp.blogspot.com, twitter.com/revcamp and stays active in countless ministry conversations by way of facebook.com/revcamp exploring the phrase of John Wesley "The World is my parish". He is excited to get to meet the people of St. Andrew United Methodist Church and the Santa Maria Valley as we find ways to be transformed by our encounters with a risen and living Jesus Christ.

David can be reached by email at david.camphouse@gmail.com, and once settled he will be available by his cell phone. Blessings to each of you as we begin to find our places of intersection for sharing what God is doing in the world and community around us.