Information:
| Name: | George Petrella |
| Spouse: | Jane |
| Children: | (4) |
| Location | Philadelphia, PA |
| Ministry Area: | Streets and Alleys |
| Years of Service: | 11 (Since 1997) |
Current Ministry:
George is an actor and is involved in many christian productions in the Philadelphia area. George and Jane also work with the Grassos with EE clinics and street ministry.
George grew up in Western PA and raised in a religious Roman Catholic family, but did not really know much about Christ or have a personal relationship with Him. After graduating from Radiologic Technology school at a local hospital, he started attending Geneva College, where he met Jane in 1971. They married in July of 72, and were living in New Jersey. It was there, while attending a Presbyterian church, George started to read the Bible, especially the Gospels. He came to understand who Jesus really was and what He had come to do. In November 1972, he prayed to have Jesus as his own Savior. Soon afterwards he felt called to missions and evangelism. We moved to Chicago in 75 to attend Moody Bible Institute, and George received a BA in Pastoral Studies in 1978. During 1979 he worked as a counselor at Pacific Garden Mission, and even had his own life story taped for 'Unshackled.' In 1980 we moved to downstate Illinois, where George was an intern pastor for a small, mission church. And he continued to work in radiology.
In 1986, we moved to Philadelphia, so George could attend Westminster Theological Seminary, which he did from 86-88, majoring in urban missions. We have been members of New Life Presbyterian Church Philadelphia(PCA) these past 20 years, where George has served as a Deacon, SS teacher, drama team coach, and outreach coordinator. Jane has taught SS and served in many ways, including the nursery.
Since 2001, George and Jane have been trained in Evangelism Explosion, as Missionary Teacher-Trainers, and we currently serve as the EE administrators for the church.
We joined Presbyterian Evangelistic Fellowship in 1997 and we mostly serve in the Philadelphia region as part of the urban ministry team of Streets & Alleys. We do a lot of personal evangelism, using mostly EE methods, but also door to door work, street work, preaching and teaching, and drama. George's call with PEF also includes preaching evangelism, so he is willing to work in and preach in crusades of all sizes.
George was introduced to drama while at MBI and had the chance to study acting at the historic Walnut Street Theatre in Phila. He has acted in many productions, and for the past two Springs has toured locally with a Christian drama team called mereBreath. He hopes tour with them again in 2007. George is a member of AFTRA, a professional union and the National Storytelling Network.
George has been overseas on missions trips to Amsterdam, London, the Dominican Republic and South Africa. With his extensive speaking and teaching experience, he is available to speak at missions conferences, evangelisitic crusades, youth rallies and camps. He has taught numerous books of the Bible in SS, deacons' training, training in practical evangelism, and a course he wrote, 'Dealing With Temptation.
Please contact him via email if you are interested in having George and Jane speak to your group.
Jane is very talented in many forms of art, and is currently studying through the mail with the Art Instruction School.
George and Jane have four adult children, Jamie (married to Rafael), Micah, Erin and Terrie (married to Rob). They have five beautiful grandkids: Reese, Cosie, Ezekiel, Chloe and Remington.
For the twenty years in Philadelphia, George has worked mostly in radiology, doing x-rays and CT scans, while Jane has worked doing accounts receivable for an auto parts remanufacturing company. As of November 2006, we are currently stepping aside from those things full time to concentrate on our passions: Evangelism, Drama, Writing and Art. We will be looking to raise our support level and we appreciate your prayers and support in these areas.
We feel called to Preach Christ the Savior to a lost city and world. We, in partnership with others in Streets & Alleys, have a great opportunity to minister Christ in a city that is terribly broken, yet is full of immigrants from around the world. The community we live in and around New Life Church easily has 80+ languages spoken here. We want to evangelize many here. And Jane especially has a heart for discipling children and teaching them how to share Jesus. We would like to start Kids EE at the church.
Thanks for your support and prayers.
George and Jane Petrella, gjppefphilly@yahoo.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR8apSr3m9U&mode=related&search