Members of St. George Antiochian Church in West St. Paul will celebrate 95 years in the community at the upcoming Middle Eastern Festival and Bazaar Sept. 26-28. (MEGAN ANDERSON SUN NEWSPAPERS)

"Ahlan wa sahlan," means "welcome, you're part of the family" in Arabic.

That's the sentiment members of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church hope to send to the community as they open the doors of their church for a Middle Eastern Festival and Bazaar Sept. 26-28.

The festival will celebrate the church's 95 years as a congregation and 35 years at 1250 Oakdale Ave. in West St. Paul.

Visitors can tour the church, listen to music and dancing and ride a camel. Authentic Middle Eastern food, including chicken kabobs, shish kabobs, roast lamb, kafta, falafel and gyros, will be offered under the big tent, rain or shine.

Cindy Zaine Karos of Edina said the ethnic backgrounds of church members makes up an important piece of the church. "Our immigrants brought the Christian traditions with them," she said.

St. George's first members were Syrian and Lebanese immigrants who arrived in Minnesota in the 1890s, settling on St. Paul's West Side. Those immigrants purchased the original church building on Isabel Street in St. Paul in 1913 to form St. George.

St. George has many church members who represent third and fourth generations, Karos said. "It's a very family-oriented church," she said.

Karos can point out her grandparents in an old photo of the congregation in front of the Isabel Street church.

Karos' mother, Beverly Zaine of Mendota Heights, said the church has been her home since she was a child.

It's a special place, Zaine said, especially because it's where she was married and her children were baptized. "It's been in our family forever," she said. "I've never lived more than a mile from the church."

The church moved to its West St. Paul location in 1973, where it added on a Byzantine-style worship area with a gold dome and iconostasis containing icons of theology.

Serving the 230-member church is the Rev. Tom Begley, who said that St. George has grown to embrace a variety of ethnic groups joining the church. "We revel in the fact that everyone is welcome here," he said.

St. George offers its members adult and youth education, a youth group, women's organization, choir and a group of Byzantine chanters.

Vergeen Khoury of West St. Paul came to the church in 1969, when her husband, the Rev. John Khoury, became the pastor at St. George.

Even after her husband retired in 1998, she continues to live next door to the church. "This is a big family," Khoury said. "When we do something, we do it together."

Khoury, known for being in charge of cooking for the church, has been working hard with all the church's members to prepare for the Middle Eastern festival.

Sue Addrass Perry of Eagan is in charge of the bake sale portion of the festival, which St. George hosts every fall. They wanted to make this year's festival an even bigger affair, she said. "This year we're going all out," she said.

Dr. Anthony Rezcallah of St. Paul joined St. George six years ago after moving from Ohio and described it as a warm community. "We were immediately welcomed," he said. "It's an alive community with very active groups and members."

The festival is a way to share that welcoming spirit with the community and they hope to draw a lot of people over the weekend, Rezcallah said. "The purpose of the event is to open our home to the community," he said.

Assaad Haddad of south Maplewood, a 24-year member, said St. George is not only a place where members pray, "but it's a place where we've developed a relationship with the community."

"We're very much looking forward to people coming here," he said.

Experience the rich Middle Eastern culture and heritage at the 2008 St. George Middle Eastern Festival and Bazaar Sept. 26-28. Middle Eastern food includes chicken kabob, roast lamb, kafta, falafel, gyros, hummus, St. George's famous homemade bread, beer, wine and fresh pastries. The festival will also include camel rides all day Sept. 26, live Arabic music and dancing, games, church tours and information about the heritage, culture and traditions surrounding the Orthodox Christian Church. ATM will be available at the festival. Information: www.saintgeorge-church.org.

(You are invited to comment about this story on our website at www.mnsun.com and/or write a letter to the editor at suncurrentsouth@acnpapers.com.)

St. George offers its members adult and youth education, a youth group, women's organization, choir and a group of Byzantine chanters.

Vergeen Khoury of West St. Paul came to the church in 1969, when her husband, the Rev. John Khoury, became the pastor at St. George.

Even after her husband retired in 1998, she continues to live next door to the church. "This is a big family," Khoury said. "When we do something, we do it together."

Khoury, known for being in charge of cooking for the church, has been working hard with all the church's members to prepare for the Middle Eastern festival.

Sue Addrass Perry of Eagan is in charge of the bake sale portion of the festival, which St. George hosts every fall. They wanted to make this year's festival an even bigger affair, she said. "This year we're going all out," she said.

Dr. Anthony Rezcallah of St. Paul joined St. George six years ago after moving from Ohio and described it as a warm community. "We were immediately welcomed," he said. "It's an alive community with very active groups and members."

The festival is a way to share that welcoming spirit with the community and they hope to draw a lot of people over the weekend, Rezcallah said. "The purpose of the event is to open our home to the community," he said.

Assaad Haddad of south Maplewood, a 24-year member, said St. George is not only a place where members pray, "but it's a place where we've developed a relationship with the community."

"We're very much looking forward to people coming here," he said.

Experience the rich Middle Eastern culture and heritage at the 2008 St. George Middle Eastern Festival and Bazaar Sept. 26-28. Middle Eastern food includes chicken kabob, roast lamb, kafta, falafel, gyros, hummus, St. George's famous homemade bread, beer, wine and fresh pastries. The festival will also include camel rides all day Sept. 26, live Arabic music and dancing, games, church tours and information about the heritage, culture and traditions surrounding the Orthodox Christian Church. ATM will be available at the festival. Information: www.saintgeorge-church.org.

(You are invited to comment about this story on our website at www.mnsun.com and/or write a letter to the editor at suncurrentsouth@acnpapers.com.)