On November 18, 2023, Reverend Dr. Charlrean B. Mapson was honored by the Hood Theological Seminary (HTS) 1885 Society by being inducted into the society and receiving the Alumni Award for Community Leadership and Social Witness. This award is presented to an alumni whose exceptional leadership and unique contributions to community engagement reflect genuine empowerment, creative collaboration, and spiritual outreach. The HTS 1885 Society began these awards more than ten years ago. What Dr. Mapson did to accomplish this feat is a lesson in ‘seeing a sermon rather than hearing one.’ Her service extends far beyond the pew, addresses all age groups and special populations, and leaves no issue omitted while embracing technology to lessen apprehension about communicating health and welfare concerns to those who can help.
Reverend Dr. Charlrean Batten Mapson, the daughter of the late Charlie Batten, Jr. and the late Anna Rean Batten, answered the call of God to teach, preach, and serve mankind as a minister of the Gospel in 1997. She received her Deacon's ordination in 2003 by Bishop George E. Battle, Jr. and her Elder's ordination in 2006 by Bishop Richard K. Thompson.
She went on to study to show herself approved at Hood Theological Seminary in 2013, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2016 after completing the Master of Divinity Degree program in just 2.5 years and recipient of the Student Recognition Faculty Award. She began studying for her Doctor of Ministry degree at Duke University in 2018 and graduated in 2021.
Dr. Mapson knows no boundaries to service. Her service is like a pebble cast into a pond— it reaches into depths and surfaces not seen or known at first glance.
Community service became pivotal in her life as she began volunteering to feed the homeless in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, during holidays with one of the largest social services organizations in North America, Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless, under the leadership of Rev. Hosea Williams, civil rights activist, businessman, philanthropist, scientist, and politician while she was in high school. Her high school matriculation took place at Benjamin E. Mays Academy of Science and Mathematics. Upon high school graduation, she attended Clark Atlanta University (CAU), where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry with a minor in Engineering. While at CAU, she served as the inaugural president of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and a national officer of NSBE as National Pre-College Initiative Chairperson. In 1991, the AUC chapter of NSBE honored her with the creation of an annual award and scholarship bearing her name, “The Charlrean Batten Leadership Award.”
After moving to Wilmington she has been active in the Wilmington community for many years with service in various capacities. In previous years, she has served on the Boards of Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity, Friends of New Hanover County Public Library, member of the Wilmington Planning Commission, and the 1898 Racial Reconciliation Committee.
Dr. Mapson began her pastoral ministry at the Johnson Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church in Leland, North Carolina. During the two and a half years of service in this charge, twenty-three members were added to the congregation under her leadership. She implemented several youth ministries, including a step team (in partnership with the graduate chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.); she implemented youth and children’s Bible study and Sunday School classes; and implemented a summer day camp for youth and children.
She served successfully for seven years as pastor of the historic Saint Mark A.M.E. Zion Church in Whiteville, North Carolina. While serving at the St. Mark Church, she led the church in a $250K renovation project and had the church entered in the state’s historic registry. She initiated monthly community discussions on the topic of racial reconciliation after the shooting of Micheal Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014; partnered with the Presbyterian Church to implement the Circles of Hope program for single parents living in poverty; organized and maintained the Whiteville Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance; and implemented several feeding programs for area families in need; partnered with another church of the denomination and a local Food Lion store. Additionally, she initiated a support group for parents of children with special needs and participated in the Reimagining Health Collaborative (RHC) held at Duke Divinity School. RHC is a program that seeks to bridge the gap between the church and those suffering from mental health issues.
She served as pastor of the historic St. John A.M.E. Zion Church in Wilson, North Carolina, for two years. She implemented and taught Special Needs Sunday School and Vacation Bible School classes. Implemented a financial reporting system for the Wilson District as chair of the Budget and Finance Committee.
She is currently the proud pastor of the Price Cathedral Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she led the congregation to partner with city officials, non-profit resource organizations, civic groups, other denominations, and members of the public for outreach to the community. In July 2023, Price Cathedral received a $12,000 grant from Partners in Health and Wholeness to help meet the mental health needs of people of color in the community. Dr. Mapson has partnered with two other churches on the district, St. Andrew, pastored by Rev. Patricia Smith, and Warner Temple, pastored by Dr. Clifford Barnett, to meet a greater need. Currently, Dr. Mapson leads a series of Zoom information sessions to protect seniors from false and misleading offers.
Presenting outreach ministries using the talents and interests of the congregation is key to the success of the outreach efforts. The Community Care Ministry led by Janel Washington and Blair Houtz involves all age groups with an interest in gardening. Last spring, with group effort, a garden of fruits and vegetables was planted on a strip of lawn in front of the church to help feed the community. The uniqueness of the garden was it yielded crops in the colors of the A.M.E. Zion logo. Some participants were either Zion-born or Zion-bred; all were Zion-fed. Plans are underway to produce more fruits and vegetables this year.
Dr. Mapson has served the connectional level of the A.M.E. Zion Church as the former General Youth Secretary of the Women’s Home & Overseas Missionary Society for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, serving 2003- 2011, implementing the Youth Empowerment Statement, Y-M-S song (to the tune of YMCA), and the Vickie Awards, honoring students excelling in academics and the arts.
Her doctoral thesis, entitled Inclusion of the Autism Population in Churches, Schools, and Communities, led her to begin the recently completed season 1 of her first podcast, “Let’s Talk Autism with Dr. C…” Podcast on Spotify. A prolific writer, in January 2016, she published “Christianity, Christian Symbolism, and the Ku Klux Klan” in The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Quarterly Review. Furthermore, she has written for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church School Herald, Sunday School Literature, and the Women’s Home & Overseas Missionary Society. On January 31, 2005, she and Reverend Donald R. Mapson were blessed with a son, Jadon Hassani Mapson, who has Autism. She is a loud and proud Autism mother and a fierce “Autism Mama Bear!”.
Her renowned service and dedication to others are appreciated and acknowledged at local and state government levels as well. In May 2021, she was named by Governor Roy Cooper to serve on the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities. In February 2022 (less than a year after the appointment), she was elected chair of the council’s Community Living Committee. In November 2021, she was appointed to the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Community Relations Advisory Committee.
Dr. Mapson is a member of the Wilmington District, where Dr. Alexander L. Jones is the Presiding Elder of the Cape Fear Conference for the Eastern North Carolina Episcopal District. Senior Bishop Kenneth Monroe is the Presiding Prelate.
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