Pastor Chamie Bio
Pastor Chamie grew up in South Dakota where she first learned about things like God and gardening. She attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN where she majored in English Writing and Broadcast Communications. Her plan was to become a journalist and oust Katie Couric from The Today Show (it was the 90's). But God had a different plan. She followed God's call to become a pastor and graduated from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN in 1998.
During all those summers between college and seminary, she worked at Lutheran Bible camps as a camp counselor and program leader, interweaving things like Bible study, worship, community, and the great outdoors. Her first pastoral appointment was as campus pastor of United Campus Ministries at South Dakota State University. She only served there one school year because she had met a cute boy in seminary. He got a call to be a pastor in Southern California. So they eloped on Valentine’s Day and she left the bitter cold of winter for the cute boy and the California sunshine.
Pastor Chamie served as a pastor at Santa Margarita United Methodist Church in Orange County followed by the United Methodist Church of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County. After her third baby was born, Pastor Chamie left the local church to have more time to raise children and plants. During that time, she took a two year course to get her certificate in spiritual direction through Stillpoint in Pasadena, CA. Then a position opened for campus pastor at Ascension Lutheran School in Thousand Oaks. Pastor Chamie served there for 13 school years leading weekly chapel (which she still does and will tell you it is one of her most favorite things), teaching Bible classes for children and adults, counseling families, and leading the garden and outdoor classroom. In December of 2022, she completed the required coursework for her certificate in horticultural therapy through the Horticultural Therapy Institute in Colorado.
Starting July 1, 2023, Pastor Chamie was appointed as the Lead Pastor of North Hollywood First United Methodist Church. Though she doesn't enjoy the commute, she enjoys serving on the NoHo campus which she says is an oasis in the city.
Pastor Chamie loves all things soul and soil. Her garden shed, located under a big mulberry tree, was converted to her "prayer shack" and home office which overlooks the family's large vegetable garden and chicken coop. She and her husband Tim have two adult sons and one teenage daughter. She grew up Methodist; Tim grew up Lutheran. They aren’t big into denominational titles or labels. Pastor Chamie prefers to simply say she is a follower of Jesus trying to live in rhythm with God and God’s good creation. You can follow her ministry at www.pastorchamie.com or find her on Facebook or Instagram at "Pastor Chamie." Her name is pronounced with a long "a" like Jamie, but with a "ch" sound at the beginning like in "church."