By The Star Of Zion
Reverend Dr. Charlrean Batten Mapson is the daughter of the late Charlie Batten, Jr. and the late Anna Rean Batten.
She is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended the Atlanta Public Schools. 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.” Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, she moved to Wilmington in 1991 and began employment with Hoechst Celanese as a Laboratory Supervisor. She was later promoted to Chemical Sales Representative.
After six years of service at Hoechst Celanese, she entered the real estate business then later opened her own firm in 2009. In 2003, she was named Realtor of the Year for the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors, which had approximately 2,000 members at that time. Her service to the real estate community includes Board of Directors member of the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors Board of Directors member of the North Carolina Association of Realtors.
She is currently an instructor of real estate continuing education courses for the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.
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.
She is the former General Youth Secretary of the Women’s Home & Overseas Missionary Society for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, serving from 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.
She joined the St. Luke A.M.E. Zion Church under Dr. Dennis V. Proctor, now Presiding Bishop in the A.M.E. Zion Church. And began her pastoral ministry at the Johnson Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church in Leland, North Carolina. During the two and-one-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 into the state’s historic registry.
She initiated monthly community discussions on the topic of racial reconciliation; 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, most 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 with 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. Provides spiritual and administrative leadership to the church, including managing daily operations, developing and administering the annual budget, delivering compassionate pastoral care to the community, and leading worship services, ordinances, funerals, and weddings. Partners with city officials, non-profit resource organizations, civic groups, other denominations, and members of the public for outreach to the community.
In May 2021, she was named by Governor Roy Cooper to serve 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.
In May of 2016, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hood Theological Seminary as a Master of Divinity degree recipient and recipient of the Student Recognition Faculty Award.
In May of 2021, she graduated from Duke Divinity School as, a Doctor of Ministry degree recipient. Her doctoral thesis is entitled
Inclusion of the Autism Population in Churches, Schools, and Communities. She 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 and 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. So, she is a loud and proud Autism mother and fierce “Autism Mama Bear!”
After twenty-plus years in ministry and standing on Exodus 34:10, Dr. Mapson prayerfully offers herself for the office of Bishop.
She has a PLAN for Zion. She is promoting:
- Personal Care and Mental Health for Ministers. It is important for ministers to care for themselves if they are to effectively serve their parishioners.
- Leadership in a post-pandemic era. It is important to embrace the strategies learned during the quarantine-driven pandemic; utilizing those strategies and enhancing ways to creatively meld the new normal with the old ways of worship, outreach, and other ministry-related activities.
- Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion. Everyone deserves an opportunity to participate in worship and other church activities. The church should be a place of acceptance rather than rejection. Dr. Mapson has creative strategies to assist pastors and congregations in the inclusion of all special needs individuals. As a member of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities, Dr. Mapson has effectively succeeded in convincing the council to fund (up to $120,000) an effort to educate law enforcement personnel in handling special needs individuals.
- Nurturing Ecumenical Relationships. She has been active in various activities with other denominations. Most recently she was the newly elected President of the Board of Directors for UNC – Wilmington’s Wingspan ILM. Wingspan ILM is a new joint campus ministry on the campus of UNCW consistent with The A.M.E. Zion Church, Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Church, and United Methodist Church. The goal is to provide a space for students who are matriculating at UNCW to remain grounded in their Christian principles.
To connect with Dr. Mapson:
Email – Mapson2024@gmail.com
Website – www.Mapson4Bishop24.com
Facebook – Mapson for Bishop 2024
Instagram – Mapson4Bishop2024
YouTube Channel – Charlrean Eats Clean
Watch God Work!
Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people, I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you.
Exodus 34:10 (NIV)
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here