Worshippers to Celebrate Reverend Dr. J. Wendell Mapson, Jr.’s 20th Anniversary of Pastor and People

Reverend Dr. J. Wendell Mapson, Jr. of Monumental Baptist Church will be honored during the week of November 5, 2007 for 20 years of pastoring to the people and for his place as the 20th pastor of the Church. Members and friends are invited to three nights of worship services, a semi-formal banquet on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing and a celebratory worship service on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at Monumental Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Harold A. Carter of New Shiloh Baptist Church, Baltimore, Maryland will preside at the 11:00 am service, while Rev. Gerald L. Thomas of Shiloh Baptist Church, Plainfield, New Jersey will deliver the sermon at the 4:00 pm service.

Born in West Palm Beach, Florida and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Dr. Mapson received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College, Atlanta; a Master of Divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary (now Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School); and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary).

In addition to serving as Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Foreign Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Dr. Mapson has authored 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. He is also Adjunct Professor at Palmer Theological Seminary (formerly Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary) and Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia.

The son of a Baptist minister, Rev. Mapson was installed as the 20th pastor of Monumental Baptist Church on the second Sunday in November 1987. He was licensed and ordained at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where his father is Pastor Emeritus.

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

Monumental Baptist Church, founded in 1826, and now located at 50th and Locust Streets in Philadelphia, PA, was once a station along the Underground Railroad, assisting slaves as they traveled North in search of freedom. In keeping with the motto "The Church where Jesus Christ is Central," Monumental encourages its members to glorify God through worship, ministry, evangelism, fellowship and discipleship.