Our Pastor

Pastor David E Craig

Born in Arlington Virginia in 1950, the second of four children.  He learned how to cook with his mother.  The culinary arts became his passion as he continued to learn the skills and techniques of cooking.  After graduation from High School, he worked as a short order cook, and then a frameman for the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company at the Pentagon.

On his twentieth birthday he joined the United State Navy, raising to the rank of First-Class Petty Officer (ET1) in the field of Electronics, specializing in High Frequency and Low Frequency Radio transmitter, and Oceanographic and Meteorology Equipment Maintenance. Completing nine years of tour of duty with the last three and a half years of sea duty on the USS Guam LPH-9 in 1976.

He married his high school sweetheart, the former Miss Janet Marie Loy between duty stations.  Their love was completed in the birth of their son, Steven F. Craig.  Steven was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in 2022.  They will celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary in July 2025.

David was employed by Sperry Corporation for fourteen years working on mainframe computers, desktops, peripherals and high-speed laser printers as a Senior Systems Specialist.  During this time, he received his call to ministry, and upon graduating from Wesley Seminary in Washington, D.C. school of Course of Study he was ordained a Deacon in the United Methodist Church in 1997 as a Associate Member of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church.  He was appointed to four charges, serving 8 churches in his 23 years of active service. (South Brunswick Charge, Tabernacle, Rock, and Olive Branch UMC), Salem UMC, Gary’s UMC, (Wesley Chapel Charge, Orleans and Wesley Chapel UMC) Mt. Vernon UMC.

Retiring in 2015 David continues in ministry as a pulpit supply preacher, officiating weddings and funerals.  Joining the Board of Directors of Abukloi Foundation in 2018, as the Foundation treasurer until 2022.

In 2023 God called Pastor David and First Lady Janet out of retirement to serve the people called Methodist at Shady Grove United Methodist Church. It is an honor to be in ministry with the people of Shady Grove UMC.