The Rev. Don Mitchell has served as the Senior Pastor for Mt. Sylvan UMC since 2022. Born and raised in rural Johnston County, NC, he completed undergraduate and graduate degrees in English/Education at East Carolina University and his Divinity degree at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. Prior to returning home to NC in 2014, he led congregations in Basking Ridge, Little Falls, and Knowlton, New Jersey. His most recent church appointment was Jarvis Memorial UMC in downtown Greenville. He has served in ministry for twenty-six years.

Rev. Mitchell has also served connectionally in District and Conference leadership roles with both the North Carolina and Greater New Jersey United Methodist  Conferences over the past two decades including: Member of the GNJAC Connectional Table, the Committee on Ordained Ministry, Mission Strategy Team, Chair of the Conference Board of Discipleship, Chair of the Gateway North Superintendency Committee (NJ), Registrar for the Gateway North Committee on Ordained Ministry, Clergy and Candidacy Mentor, Conference Committee on Christian Unity and Inter-religious Concerns, Church Building and Location Committee, and as a Certified Stephen Caregiving Ministries Trainer.

He has volunteered as an ESL tutor and with outreach organizations including Rise Against Hunger, Habitat for Humanity, SAFE (Domestic Violence Response and Prevention), Interfaith Hospitality Network, and in local nursing homes, schools, and chambers of commerce in the cities where he's served.

Rev. Mitchell and his wife Maria have raised two children. A son, Jordan, resides in North Carolina, and a daughter, Reagan, who resides in Louisiana. Pastor Don and Maria are blessed to be a part of the Mt. Sylvan UMC family of faith and are grateful for the many life-changing ministries of this wonderful congregation.