A Christian Coptic Orthodox Church stands in Main Street and will open to the community on March 9. It is the St Mary and St Pope Kirolos the 6^th Church and its location is a manifestation of faith.

Dr Moheb Ghaly OAM and the community of Coptic Orthodox Christians in the Manning Valley, Great Lakes and Port Macquarie regions each week gather to worship in a small house next to the site on which the church is built. Almost two years ago they submitted plans to Greater Taree City Council to build the church and next week it will open.

Today Dr Ghaly walks around the construction site and says “it brings tears to my eyes. I can feel God’s hands in many things and to see the church standing is truly wonderful. God has worked with me all my life and I’m just so happy to answer His call.”

Dr Ghaly is humble as he speaks of his contribution to the church and says his only request was that it be named for St Pope Kirolos the 6^th’. – the head of the church from 1959 to 1971. He passed away on March 9 and that is the day chosen to open the church.

“I am so happy that we will be able to open it on his feast day. He has done so many miracles in his life and after his death in his name. I have had the privilege of seeing him from a distance but have never met him face to face. I love him so much.”

Love is the foundation on which the church is built, says Dr Ghaly, and shares that the community of Christians looked in numerous locations for land on which to build their church.

“We looked everywhere. To find land in Cundletown meant it would be easy for Port Macquarie people to travel and the fact that a church was also here, well I thought, that’s something and so we bought it.

“I knew about it on a Thursday, on Friday I saw it, and on Monday we bought it.”

Dr Ghaly is a respected surgeon in the Manning Valley and recently celebrated 30 years at Manning Hospital.

“I aspire to be a man of prayer and God gave me the strength to rely on him and not on myself.

“I do realise there is a bigger power than us and in my surgical work you can be humbled quite well if you think you’ve done a good job. So I know my place.”

Dr Ghaly expects the congregation to grow.

“As much as I like my church I am not against any other denominations.

“When Jesus came there was no orthodox, or Catholics, or Anglicans, there was Jesus and that’s it - our church is open for everybody.”