Reverend Deacon

Florence Cooper Mitchell

My name is Reverend Deacon Florence Cooper Mitchell. I was ordained in 2022 as deacon in the Dioceses of Atlanta. Prior to becoming a deacon I taught science in the following Georgia counties and city school districts: Dooly, Crisp, Dougherty and Atlanta Public Schools. During my tenure as an educator I taught: chemistry, biology, physical science, mathematics, forensic science and environmental sciences. I was born in Brooks County Georgia and reared on my maternal grandparents’ farm in Quitman, Georgia. Upon graduation from Brooks County High School, I enrolled in Fort Valley State College where I earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry. I continued my education by earning a Master of Science in Biology from Albany State University.

I augmented my studies by earning a Specialist Degree in Education Supervision and Administration and becoming a certified Student Teacher Support Specialist. I acquired readings endorsement and gifted endorsement to better meet the needs of the students assigned to my classes. In addition to being a public school teacher I served as coach to my school’s Academic Decathlon Team and we excelled to state completion 16 years out 18. To better prepare my high school students, I worked as an adjutant professor at Albany State University and Atlanta Metropolitan College to gather data on the skills college students needed to be successful.

While I was in college, I met my husband of 47 years and we raised two children, Reginald and Vikki. Upon the birth of our son we were drawn to the Episcopal Church as a compromise to the faith we were reared Pentecostal and Baptist. We joined St John Episcopal Church in Albany Georgia which was in the Dioceses of Georgia until the 500 year flood of 1994. Before the flood destroyed the foundation of the church, I served as the Coordinator of Christian Education. We merged with St Mark Episcopal Church and became St. John St. Mark Episcopal Church. Upon our migration to Atlanta, we joined the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation where I became active with the Altar Guild, organize and directed Clarence HANDS (a Food Pantry to support students attending schools in the Atlanta University Center who cannot afford a meal plan). I joined Education for Ministry (EFM) at St. Luke Episcopal Church downtown Atlanta and completed it during the pandemic thanks to Zoom. I learned about Daughters of the King (DOK) and re –activated the Incarnation’s St. Margaret Chapter and became the president. After retirement from the state of Georgia’s classroom, I became a volunteer at Pruitt Health Home (PHH) in South Fulton City, Georgia. Shortly after working at PHH I realized I needed further training to meet the needs of the clients at. PHH. I earned a Master of Christian Counseling from Atlanta Bible School and a license General Chaplain in the state of Georgia. After a year of service this was not meeting the needs of the patients my church sponsored me to be a candidate for deacon in the Diocese of Atlanta making it possible to serve the patient full religious needs such as communion, grief care, pastoral counseling, etc.

My free time is spent in several ways. First self care I exercise three days a week and substitute for teachers who have medical or family emergency. During my substitute time I lend an ear to students who needs one. Also, my beloved sorority, Zeta Phi Beta is where I serve as Chaplain and help to identify needs in the community where we focus our energy to bring God’s love to those in need.