Rev. Ernest Mitchell Jr.

On Saturday, July 2, 2011, at St. Mary's Hospital in Passaic, New Jersey, Rev. Ernest Mitchell Jr. made the transition from earth to Glory. Reverend Mitchell was born on May 16, 1937, in Ringgold, Georgia to the late Ernest Mitchell Sr., and Ruby C. Mitchell. He was one of six children and predeceased by his brother John Mitchell, a sister Rosetta Sellers and an uncle, Wilch H. Caldwell. He was educated and graduated from high school in Charlotte, North Carolina. Reverend Mitchell surrendered his life to Christ at an early age. Reverend Mitchell moved to New Jersey in the year 1961. In the year 1969 he was ordained as a minister by the Old School Orthodox Primitive Baptist Association of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, Inc. He came to East Orange, NJ from The First Baptist Church, Chislehurst, NJ which he founded and was Pastor. He was also the Pastor of The Solid Rock Baptist Church, Trenton, NJ, and The Greater Calvary Baptist Church, West Atco, NJ. Reverend Mitchell attended Grace Bible Institute, Camden, NJ; the Philadelphia College of Bible; and the Northern School of Religion, Newark, NJ. His community services originated in Hamilton Township, Trenton, NJ. There he was a member of the Mayor's Council, the Bromley Civic Association, and the Minister's Alliance of Trenton, NJ. In September of 1991, Reverend Ernest Mitchell Jr. became the Pastor of the John Wesley Methodist Church, in East Rutherford, NJ, which he remained Pastor for the past twenty years. Prior to that he was an active member of The New Hope Baptist Church, East Orange, New Jersey were he served as an Associate Minister. There he was a dedicated member of the Board of Christian Education, he taught the high school students' Sunday School Class, and presided over the Wednesday Night Service Meetings. He also initiated as well as coordinated the church's bowling league. He also originated and developed an Outreach Ministry at the Pavilion, which is a Senior Citizens' Housing Development in East Orange, New Jersey. In the year 2000, Reverend Mitchell became a member of the Evangelical Fellowship under the leadership of the late Bishop Nathaniel Screven, Bethesda C.O.G.I.C, Newark, NJ. Reverend Mitchell often referred to himself as "Just a Voice Crying in the Wilderness", and he made it known that his love for Christ, and the desire to do the will of Christ superseded all else in his life. Reverend Mitchell married his devoted wife, Virmell on March 11, 1990, at New Hope Baptist Church, East Orange, NJ; whom he leaves to rejoice in his triumphant victory; as well as his four sons, Ernest Mitchell III (Marion), Reginald Mitchell, Steven Mitchell (Loraine) and Lonnie Mitchell (Pat); three daughters, Iris Kelly (Walter), Crystal Johnson and Krystal Bradsberry; 12 grand children; and 10 great grand children; one brother, Lee Grant Mitchell (Mary); two sisters, Reverend Deloris Anne Mason (Boyd) and Dorothy Mitchell. Aunt Moease Caldwell; brothers and sisters-in-law; Clinton and Pamela White, Marsha Harris and Gerald Thorne; mother in law, Priscilla Thorne; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, Spiritual Children, church family and friends.