WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital appoints new staff chaplain with Seventh Day Baptist background

Rev. Johnmark Camenga, MDiv, CPE, has been appointed as the new Staff Chaplain at WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, beginning his role on October 27, 2025. With over a decade of pastoral and chaplain ministry experience, Rev. Camenga previously served as Chaplain and Patient Advocate at WVU Medicine United Hospital Center, where he provided spiritual care, patient and family visitation, neonatal grief care, and contributed to the hospital’s Ethics Committee.

Rev. Camenga, ordained in 2012, has held leadership roles at Marshville Baptist Church and Lost Creek Seventh Day Baptist Church. He transitioned into chaplaincy in 2022 and has been actively involved in denominational leadership, including serving as President of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference from 2023 to 2024. He has also participated in mission trips to East Africa.

Rev. Camenga and his wife, who have been married for 25 years, chose West Virginia for its proximity to family and alignment with their cultural and personal values. His wife is a teacher at Bridgeport High School, and the couple are the parents of triplets—Cate, Eve, and Jonah—who graduated high school last year and are now pursuing higher education and professional development.

In addition to his ministry, Rev. Camenga is a writer who published his first book in 2024. He enjoys playing guitar and woodworking. “The thing I like most about chaplaincy is being allowed to share in people’s lives—in both their struggles and their hope,” he said.

Skip Gjolberg, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Hospital, expressed enthusiasm for Rev. Camenga’s appointment. “At St. Joseph’s, we believe that true health includes caring for the body, mind, and spirit. The presence of a chaplain plays an important role in that mission, providing comfort, guidance, and hope to our patients, families, and staff.”

The Seventh Day Baptist tradition emphasizes the importance of spiritual care and community service, values that align with Rev. Camenga’s professional and personal commitments. His appointment reflects the denomination’s ongoing engagement in both local and global ministry, as well as its commitment to serving others through faith and compassion.

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