REV. DR. J. WENDELL MAPSON, JR.

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``` 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 baptized, licensed
````and ordained at` Mount `Calvary `Baptist `Church in Newark, New
````Jersey, where his father pastored for over fifty years.

````Doctor Mapson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse ````College, Atlanta, Georgia; a Master of Divinity degree from Crozer
````Theological Seminary``(now ` Colgate` Rochester Crozer Divinity
````School); and a Doctor`of Ministry degree from Palmer Theological ````Seminary (formerly Eastern Baptist 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 Lutheran ````Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, and 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.