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| Staff Bio  The Reverend James D. Canody
Pastor Jim Canody has been at Friendship UMC since June of 2005. He graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College with a BA degree in the Liberal Arts Management Program and a focus on religion. He joined the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1984 while completing his final year at Wesley Theological Seminary. In 1985 he and his wife, Janice, moved to their first pastorate in the Shenandoah Valley, Va. at Parnassus UMChurch. He then moved in 1988 to the Eastern Shore of Virginia and served the Ocean View and Smith's Chapel Churches. Jim became involved in the Society of St. Andrew's Gleaning mission and served as a facilitator for the Eastern Shore Harvest of Hope. He served on the Executive & Administrative Boards of Occahannock on the Bay and was the Vice President of the Minister's Association. Also while on the shore, their son Jacob was born.
Jim and family moved back to the valley to serve as a "transitional minister" at Mint Spring Church from 1992 through 1994. Their following appointment was to the King William Charge outside of Richmond, VA. The charge was comprised of three diverse churches: Epworth, McKendree and Mizpah. During this pastorate, Jim earned his certificate in Pastoral Counseling from the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Counseling in Richmond. He served as the District Chairman for the Small Membership Revitalization Committee. Jim also was involved as a liaison for the Acquinton Elementary PTA to the county school board. In 1999, Jim assisted in transitioning the three point charge into three distinct churches with part-time ministers serving each.
In July of 1999, he began ministering to the Cranford UMC congregation in Lorton, VA. While there, Jim has served on the Personnel Committee and the Administrative Board for Camp Highroad. He completed a 3-year program of study sponsored by the conference, which is an in depth, holistic approach to counseling utilizing the Bowen theory.
In June of 2005 the parsonage family moved to Annandale, Virginia. This was the closest move they've had to date and was such a blessing to enable Jacob to stay and graduate from his beloved Hayfield Secondary School in 2007. This was also a "coming home" for Jim as he grew up in the Falls Church area of Northern Virginia and his parents live locally. Jim continues his interest in the Bowen theory and is passionate about growing relationships in the name of Christ. He also writes music and often incorporates his songs in worship. John Beyer, Lay Leader
Larry Caines, Minister of Music
Larry has been actively involved in church music since childhood. He began ringing bells in elementary school at the First UMC in his native Carbondale, Pennsylvania. He continued ringing and singing throughout his youth and went on to receive the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Marywood University. He also holds a Master of Education degree in School Administration from the University of Virginia and is an administrator in Fairfax County. Larry has over ten years experience as a church music director and previously served two United Methodist Churches in Northeastern Pennsylvania and a community church in Washington, DC. He resides in Burke with his wife, Erin, and children, Maura and Jack. Larry directs the Sanctuary Choir, Glory Bells, and Praise Kids Choir/Chimes. If you are interested in any of these groups, please contact him at caines1@gmail.com.  Jim Harrington, Minister with Youth
Jim has been a member of Friendship United Methodist Church (Falls Church, VA) since 1991 and has served as the Minister of Youth since 1994. Jim is a northern Virginia native, having attended Falls Church High School and still residing in Falls Church.
. Jim received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in 1991 from Virginia Tech and also has a Masters from Johns Hopkins University. He currently works as a Modeling and Simulation Engineer in the Washington DC area. Jim is also working toward professional certification in Youth Ministry through the Virginia Annual Conference and Wesley Theological Seminary.
. Since discerning a call to ministry, Jim has been working to develop a ministry with youth at Friendship that enables young people to experience the awe of Christian worship, the joy of fellowship with other believers, and the importance of community service. A part of his commitment to youth ministry, he has been very active with the Arlington/Alexandria Bi-District Youth Council working on cooperative mission, retreat and evangelism efforts. One of Jim’s passions in recent years has been the 30 Hour Famine, a world hunger relief project that raises money for World Vision. This project is hosted annually by Friendship Church and incorporates 30 hours of fasting, hunger awareness, hands-on mission, Bible study, worship and recreation.
. Beyond youth ministry, Jim also serves in the following ministry areas of Friendship Church: Nurture, Outreach and Witness; children’s ministry team; and as a Sunday school teacher. Jim’s other interests include traveling and outdoor activities such as hiking and biking.
.  Meily Grigg, Director of Children's Ministries
Meily joined our ministry team in December 2006. Meily, a “preacher kid" learned what it meant to serve God unconditionally and unexpectedly when her father, a Methodist preacher, informed her she was going to be the new church accompanist.
Her father's first church appointment was at a small Methodist church in Bruni, TX. The congregation had been singing "a cappella" for many years. Since her father had been teaching her chords on the piano and Meily was able to play the piano by ear, her father "appointed" her to the position. Meily practiced all the hymns chosen for Sunday worship during the week, and, very nervously, accompanied a very happy congregation! She was eleven years old.
Meily continued to serve subsequent churches by singing in children and youth choirs, teaching Sunday school, and leading at the district level as a representative to Youth Council in the west Texas area. Meily graduated from Texas A&M Commerce with a degree in Theater and Dance in 1996. She was a professional performer in Atlanta, GA and danced in the Lone Start Ballet in Amarillo, TX . She recently served as Director of Children's Ministries at Annandale United Methodist Church, and was elected as an Alexandria District delegate for Annual Conference in 2006 and 2007.
Meily is a candidate for Professional certification in Christian Education in the Virginia Conference. Meily's husband Rex is a Technical Director of CNN and they have 2 young children, Kyla and Athens. Meily believes God is calling her to share His extraordinary grace and love by sharing her own spiritual experiences. Through her childhood experience Meily learned that every person, including a child, has special God given gifts that are meant to be shared and are very important to the life of the church. She is committed to help all the children at Friendship UMC discover their God given gifts and to empower them to, enthusiastically, share them with the entire congregation and the world. She is blessed to be part of the staff and to be in ministry with everyone at Friendship UMC.
 Chris’ musical training and experience is rooted in the Christian faith, and she considers her talents both a gift and a personal calling from our Creator God. Growing up in South Arlington, Chris attended Calvary UMC, where she studied piano and sang in several choirs. At age fourteen, she was chosen to participate in a pilot program as apprentice organist at Calvary. She continued collegiate and private organ studies with Peggy Kelly Rheinburg and William Neil. She has been employed by several denominations and has worked with children, the developmentally disabled, bell choirs, many soloists and instrumentalists, and choirs/choral groups in formal and contemporary worship. She enjoys many musical styles and finds special joy in singing “country gospel” songs with friends. Her highest ideals as an organist/accompanist are to inspire a deeper relationship with God and Christ Jesus through church music in its many forms, and to be a servant of Christ to her congregation.
Chris has traveled twice in mission to Russia with the VA Conference of the United Methodist Church and maintains friendships with some wonderful Christians there. She enjoys singing, reading, gardening, handcrafts, watching her girls play volleyball, and dreams of one day owning a piece of mountain property. She and husband Colin have been married since 1976 and have six children-Matthew, 29, James, 27, Colin, 24, David, 20, and twin daughters Mary and Pamela, 18. Chris and Colin are also now guardians of granddaughter Samantha Rose.
Andre Briscoe, Administrative Assistant Bio Coming Soon!  Arnaldo Cruces , Custodian
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