Jerusalem
and the Middle East
Church Association

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Introducing:

Father George Kirreh

Bishop Suheil,left, with the Archbishop of Adelaide and the Kirreh family at the Ordination

We have asked Father George Kirreh to tell us his story because it is so encouraging to hear of a Christian family returning to serve their people when so many are leaving.

“I was born in Jerusalem, my background is Palestinian. I grew up in a Christian Anglican family; I used to go to St George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem. I am the youngest of five brothers who are married and have children, all my family live in Jerusalem. I graduated from St George’s Anglican School.

While I was in my high school the calling to become a minister in the diocese of Jerusalem was planted in my heart, but I was not yet ready to answer God’s call. I was given a scholarship to go to Greece to study dentistry; I went and after I finished studying I stayed in Greece. During this time I met my wife Faten, who also has a Palestinian background, but was born in Jordan. Faten had lived in Australia most of her life. We were married in Jerusalem in St. George Cathedral and then moved back to Greece for three years. We had our first daughter, Joanna, in 1992. One and a half years after Joanna’s birth, Faten moved to Australia while 7 months pregnant with our second daughter Julia. I followed later and was able to meet for the first time my six months old daughter, Julia. In 1995 our third child, Farid, was born.

While I was in Australia God’s call came again to be a priest and serve in my beloved Church and among my family in the Holy Land, and He opened the way for me to study. I received a BA degree in Ministry and was able to finish a Masters of Theological Studies a year ago. My call to serve in the Holy Land and within the beloved Church in which I grew up became stronger. I was ordained Deacon within the diocese of Adelaide by the Archbishop Jeffrey, but this year, on February 8th I was ordained into the priesthood by our Bishop Suheil Dawani and the Archbishop Jeffery Driver in St George’s Cathedral, Jerusalem. Now I am serving at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Zababdeh.”

Father George goes on to say his wife is now an Enrolled Nurse and his three children, aged 16, 14 and 13 are being home-schooled at present.

“With the help and grace of God, my hope is to make God’s love grow in the community and to make the Church an instrument led by God’s power to be a light within Zababdeh and work to bring comfort and peace in the region. I also hope that the Penman Clinic here will grow in helping the people by providing the necessary medical attention that they need. That will come by the help of God and your support which will help us make God’s love known to the people and the community.”