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. 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. 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.
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.
Majd Qakish
Term on Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov. 2026)
Hello! I’m Majd Kakish and I am so honored to be a part of the Parish Council for Saint George of Upland. I want to help the future of the church and to make it a great one. I was born and raised in California and look forward to raising a family here with my wife Amanda. The church and its members are important to me and I consider them family. It’s humbling to be able to serve alongside great people, and I am very grateful.
Dr. Yara Arnouk
Term on Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov. 2026)
My name is Yara Arnouk and I come from Tartous, Syria Originally. I am a practicing dentist in Glendora where I have the blessing to work with my parents and sister at our dental office.
I have served the Antiochian church in various capacities over the years. From being on the choir since the age of ten, to serving as the Teen SOYO President 2012-2013 at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Los Angeles. I have also been serving on the Young Adult Ministry Board for our Diocese (Diocese of Los Angeles and the West) since 2013; I am currently the Vice President. I am a proud member of St. George Church and look forward to serving on our parish council.
Mr. Saleem Alkatime
Term On Board: 3 Years (Re-Elected) (Till Nov2026)
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.
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. 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.
Mr. Yamen Laktineh
Term On Board: 3 Years (Elected) (Till Nov. 2025)
Leena Haweileh
Term on Board: 3 Years (Appointed) (Till Nov. 2026)
My name is Leena Haweileh born and raised in Zarka/Jordan. Came to United States July 1979. Married to Saba Haweileh and blessed with 4 boys and 2 grand sons. Been member and part of St. George since the 1st day they started as mission. Served 3 times as president of the ladies and 1 time in the parish council back in the late nineties. Looking forward to serve on the parish council.
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 $390 for a single over 18 of age and of $780 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