Pastor Steve Bergkamp
Steve was born and raised in Northern California where he meet his wife of thirty years, Jill, and raised their two sons. Prior to his call to ministry, Steve spent over three decades working and managing some of the most beautiful parts of God’s Creation as a Park Ranger and Parks Superintendent in both California and Florida.
Steve spent a decade serving in children’s and youth ministry’s while discerning God’s calling on his life, and experienced the Grace of God while focusing on the mission field to those on the margins of our country’s most affluent regions and in Cuba. He found a natural connection between his years in public safety through the church’s response to those effected by natural disasters through UMCOR.
During his discernment, Steve was able to see how God has been preparing him for his role in the life of the local church. He earned a B.A. and M.A. in Economics, survived Police and Wild Land Fire Fighting Academies, and recently graduated from Duke Divinity. As a Duke Rural Fellow, Steve found a passion for parish ministry with congregations who have been a part of North Carolina’s Methodist communities for centuries.
When not involved with the life of the church, Steve can be found hiking trails with his rescue dog, Ruby, or bicycling the local farm roads.
