.Click Here for Printer-Friendly Version (PDF)

``` REVEREND DR. JESSE WENDELL MAPSON, JR.` was born in
````West Palm Beach, Florida, and raised in Newark, New Jersey. The
````son of a Baptist minister, `Reverend Mapson was licensed and or-
````dained at` Mount `Calvary `Baptist `Church in Newark, New Jersey,
````where his father is Pastor Emeritus.

````Doctor Mapson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse
````College, Atlanta, Georgia; a Master of Divinity degree from Colgate
````Rochester` Crozer``Divinity` School` (formerly` Crozer` Theological
````Seminary); Chester,` Pennsylvania; and a Doctor`of Ministry degree
````from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological
````Seminary).`` In 2002 Palmer conferred upon him the honorary Doctor
````of Divinity Degree. While at Morehouse Dr. Mapson was president of
````the minister’s union and served as student minister under the late Dr.
````Ralph David Abernathy, Associate to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and
````Pastor of the West Hunter Street Baptist Church.

````Reverend Mapson is the author of the two books; THE MINISTRY OF
````MUSIC IN THE BLACK CHURCH, published by Judson Press; and,
````"STRANGE FIRE: A Study of Worship and Liturgy in the African
````American Church”. `An `article` entitled,` Music and Worship in the
````Black Church appears in` “Readings `in` African `American` Church
````Music `and` Worship” published by GIA `Publication` Inc. `Also,` Dr.
````Mapson’s lecture entitled “AN ` UNCERTAIN `SOUND” has `been
````selected ` as` one `of `the `best `presentations `delivered `at` the
````prestigious Hampton Minister’s Conference and was included in the
````Spring 2002 Best of Hampton issue of the “AFRICAN AMERICAN
```` PULPIT”.

````He served as Pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Elizabeth, New
````Jersey from 1969 to 1987. In June 1987, he was called to pastor the
````historic Monumental Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
````founded` in `the `year` of `our `Lord,` 1826. ` Under` his `leadership,
````Monumental` has` reached `unparalleled `heights, as he seeks to
````make real the church motto “The `Church `Where `Jesus `Christ is
````Central”.

````Doctor Mapson is Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the
````Foreign Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A.
````Also, he is an adjunct professor at the Palmer Theological Seminary
````(formerly. Eastern. Baptist. Theological. Seminary), .and. the former
````President of the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of. Philadelphia and
````Vicinity.

```` In 1994 Reverend Mapson was inducted into the Martin Luther King,
````Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia;
````and in 1995 he was presented with the Benjamin E. Mays Footprint
````Award` by` the `Greater `Philadelphia` Chapter `of `the `Morehouse
````Alumni `Association.. Also he is a member of the Trustee Board at
````Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, and Vice President of
````the Crozer Board.

````He is married to Shirley Jones Mapson and they are the parents of
````three sons; Keith, Brian, and Jesse III.

.Click Here for Printer-Friendly Version (PDF)