St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
كنيسة القديس جاورجيوس للروم الانطاكيين الارثوذكس
Upland- California - ابلند - كاليفورنيا
Menu
Rev. Fr. Mansour Azar
Pastor
In September 2013 Reverend Father Mansour was received in the Antiochian Archdioceses of North America and was appointed as Assistant Pastor for Saint George Church Phoenix, Arizona, and in July 1rst 2017 he was appointed as Pastor of St. George Church in Upland, California.
Mr. Adnan Ayoub
Term On Board: 3 Years (Re-Elected) (Till Nov. 2025)
I was born in Jordan, emigrated in 1976. Have a B.S. in Chemistry as a Pre-Med and a Masters in Computer Science. Currently, I am a business owner and operator since 1989. Along with my family, I have been a parishioner and member of St. George since it’s inception as a Mission in 1987/1988. We have faithfully been attending Sunday Liturgies and church events. I have had the privileges to serve as a member of the Parish Council in various capacities. I am married to Feiruz Ennabe-Ayoub; she volunteers at the St. George Bookstore. I am blessed with 4 children, Dr. Nasiem, Sophia, Galeb and Siham; all of whom have been baptized and grown up in our Sunday School until thier college time.
Dr. Maher Arnouk
Term On Board: 2 Years (Board-Elected) (Till Nov. 2023)
My name is Maher Arnouk and I from Tartous, Syria. I am married to Reema Moussa Arnouk and we have three beautiful daughters, Mariam, Yara, and Maya, and our son-in-law, Jacob. I have been a dentist for the past 33 years and I currently work as a Clinical Director in Ca and AZ . Our faith and Church have always been essential for our family , I am honored to serve on the St. George board. I’m looking forward to another fruitful and blessed year.
Mr. Saleem Alkatime
Term On Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov2023)
My name is Saleem Alkatime and I was born in Biet Jala, Palestine. Growing up, church was always a huge part of my life. I came to the U.S. in 1989 where I started my own business. My greatest accomplishment that I’m most proud of are my three beautiful children Andrew, Jacqueleen, and Salina. St. George has been our home for over 12 years and I’ve been serving on the board for many years. I’m looking forward to having a prosperous year where we grow in our faith as a family.
Ms. Mary-Ann Hinnawi
Term On Board: 1 Year (Board-Elected) (Till Nov. 2023)
My name is Mary-Ann Hinnawi, from Jaffa, Israel. I grew up in Toronto, Canada and moved to California in 2009. I have one incredible son, Gianluca.
I am currently a Manufacturing Manager for a Fortune 500 company. In 2020 I started attending St. George, helping in the book store and have been blessed to be a part of their family.
Phone: 310-567-4566
Mr. Ayoub Elias
Term On Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov. 2024)
Ayoub Elias, I was born in Syria and can you the USA in 1984. I am a registered electrical engineer working for CalTrans. I am married to Lina Ghawi Elias and we have 2 young men Sami and Mark.
Mr. Iyad Namy
Term On Board: 3 Years (Re-Elected) (Till Nov. 2025)
My name is Iyad Namy, I was born in Syria and came to the US in 2001, I have been attending Saint George Church for the last 12 years, I’m married to Dalia Alarkan who is a Sunday school teacher and we have three children, Sally, Antony and Katy
Phone: (818) 984-9048
Mrs. Nihad Fakhoury Kilada
Term On Board: 3 Years (Appointed) (Till Nov. 2023)
My name is Nihad Fakhoury Kilada I am married to Naguib Kilada we have 3 lovely children together (Lobna, George & Lila) I was born in Jordan and have been living in California for 38 years. My father was a priest in Jordan and I spent all my life in the church. I am a registered nurse and specialized in labor and delivery while back in Jordan. I love my St. George perish family and look forward to working together for the better of the church.
Phone: 714-213-0363
Mrs. Nivin Bouza
Term On Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov. 2024)
A Bachelor’s Degree in Banking and Insurance from Damascus University.
Worked as a Customer Service representative at Byblos Bank, Damascus Branch 2009-2010
Worked as Customer Service representative at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi 2010-2012
Miss. Wafa Fakhoury
Term On Board: 3 Years (Appointed) (Till Nov. 2024)
Wafa Fakhoury has been part of the St. George church community for over a decade, she has always served with the ladies of the church.
Mrs. Yvonne Khalilieh
Term On Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov. 2024)
Yvonne Khalilieh has been part of the St. George church community for over a decade, much of that time she has served as a Sunday School teacher. Yvonne is native to S. CA, bilingual in Spanish and attended UCLA. She is a proud mother of twin daughters and wife of Essam Khalilieh. Together with Essam they own and operate a successful small business.
Mr. Yamen Laktineh
Term On Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov. 2025)
The Parish Council ministry consists of the Pastor and three (3) members of the Voting Membership to be appointed by him. And additional nine (9) members to be elected by and from the Voting Membership of the church.
The Parish Council meetings are always held in the church facility; they begin and end with a prayer and they are always conducted with the Pastor present.
The voting member is the pledged member who has paid his pledge.(The pledge is the amount of $260 for a single over 18 of age and of $520 for a Husband and Wife and entitles them to two (2) votes.)
The elected members shall be elected from the nominated voting members in good standing who are twice as many as the vacancies to be filled and who have shown their willingness to serve.
The Pastor shall be the official representative of the Metropolitan Archbishop.
The Parish Council shall be the representative of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in the administration of its properties and affairs.
The constitution and the sacred Canons shall be the governing code of St. George Church.
All administrative authority is vested in the Pastor and Parish council.
All legislative authority is vested in the general meeting of the Voting Membership of St. George Church.
The parish council mindset derives from the following text from (James 1: 19-27):
“19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Doers–Not Hearers Only 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues [in it,] and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion [is] useless. 27 Pure and undefined religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
The Parish Council Guidebook states:
“If you desire to serve God and your community, then leave your personal agenda on the sidewalk outside; don’t even bring it onto the Church grounds. When you come to church the only agenda should be love…. If you have disagreements settle them outside the meeting. When you advertise your disagreements, you demoralize the entire community…. Remember that the Parish Council is not a democratic body, but a symphonic orchestra. Keep Christ in the forefront of your thoughts, and you will have harmony.”
As a general guidelines to become nominated to the Parish Council:
It is an honor to serve at the Parish Council.
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Diocese of Los Angeles and the West
The Archdiocese of North America
Pastor Reverend Father Mansour Azar
2098 N. Benson Ave. Upland, California 91784
stgeorgeupland@gmail.com (909) 985-6844