The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Painesville minister elevated to bishop
First Church of Christ to hold consecration service Nov. 15
Painesville’s First Church of Christ will be holding a consecration service on Nov. 15 to promote the Rev. Gerard Mirbel to the role of community bishop.
“I really didn’t see this coming,” Mirbel said in an interview at his Miracle Revival Ministry, located at 182 W. Jackson St. in Painesville.
The Haitian-born clergy member has been an advocate for charitable and community service with his ministry providing weekly Sunday breakfasts, groceries, and clothing to those in need from his chapel.
His generosity is nothing new, however.
“When I was growing up in Haiti, my mother, we didn’t have much, but when she cooked I would find a child that needed help and bring the child home and share what I had,” he said. “That’s always been a very good feeling for me.”
Mirbel expects his sense of charity will translate easily into his new role.
“A bishop is someone that helps communities, someone that helps other, younger, pastors,” he said.
“I really didn’t see this coming.” — Rev. Gerard Mirbel on being elevated to bishop
Mirbel is already anticipating ways to heighten his charity through the clout of his elevated role will provide. One possibility is providing automobiles to families in need.
“Right now, we have clothes, produce, food giveaways,” he said. “After I become bishop I want to go higher.”
While charity has remained a constant throughout much of the pastor’s life, he was quick to caution drawing false equivalency between it and general poverty.
“I don’t see it as poverty,” Mirbel said. “A person can be working and there can be a layoff, and they’ll still need help. When they come for (groceries) they can take the money they saved and put it on their light bill and so then they can afford to pay their light and gas bills. That’s empowerment.
“That’s what’s great about Painesville,” he added. “They allowed us to do this.”
Mirbel’s humanitarian work extends far beyond the confines of his congregation. He and his wife, Jacqueline, have made multiple visits to his home-country of Haiti for missionary relief efforts.
According to Miracle Revival Ministry literature, this international mission focuses on a five-point agenda: educating thousands of children in Haiti; offering the opportunity to accept Jesus in their lives; encouraging healthy living through medical clinics and seminars; equipping children with careers through technical schools; and providing shelter to the orphans.
This includes two harrowing trips following the devastating 2010 earthquakes that saw 1.5 million Haitians displaced and 230,000 dead.
“There has been great change since. It’s amazing,” Mirbel said. “People are working. Organizations are going there to open factories. People travel, come back, and help. There is restoration. There are roads, new agriculture. People thought it was going to take a long time, but it hasn’t. The reconstruction is powerful.”
Even with Mirbel’s broad reach, he maintains a connection to the local community. He sits as a member of the Board of Directors for both the Western Reserve Community Development and the Lake County Library District.
Local nonprofit Little Annie’s Hope Train often visits his ministry to help assist.
“The ministry is so wonderful for the community,” said Jenn Reed of the nonprofit. “It’s such a needed thing here in Painesville. He feeds so many. People know if they need something both Pastors Mirbels are here to help. If there’s a need for clothing or transportation, they know to come here.”
Mirbel has also served two terms as president of Lake County Branch of the NA ACP.
“Every year we were able to send children to college,” he said. “That’s what drew me to the NAACP. I was able to help people, whether with civil rights or whatever they needed.”
In 2003, former Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell recognized Mirbel, bestowing two separate proclamations for his assistance in the relocation process of 34 Sudanese refugees.
“At that time, there were a group of Sudanese that were trying to make it in but were having troubles,” he recalled. “I heard that Catholic priests were helping so I got into that. I wrote letters, made requests, whatever I could.
“I don’t know how the mayor heard about it, but she did.”
Mirbel said he enjoys seeing those he helped get back on their feet.
“When I see people that were disenfranchised and come back to tell me ‘I’m well, I’m doing well, thank you so much.’ That makes me feel good. It’s like a seed you plant and later on are able to harvest.”
Mirbel was sure to highlight the similar struggles both parallels between both a caregiver and someone in need.
“There was a mother bear that was climbing a snowbank but the baby bear couldn’t make. The baby bear fell four, five times, but on the sixth time it finally made it to the top. So I tell everyone, ‘don’t stop. Don’t quit and you’ll both make it to the top together.’”
The consecration service that will see Mirbel elevated to bishop will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at the First Church of Christ, 422 Mentor Ave. in Painesville. It is open to the public.