(we are grateful to Joyce Beales who is now in her 6th year of writing ministry recaps!)
September Recap
Ahhhh, September! A month of harvest—round juicy apples and portly, golden pears to name just a few—leaves kissed with the blush of reds, oranges and yellows; damp crisp mornings and the promise of cooler weather lingering in our memories of bygone autumns. Some sage once said, “September! I never tire of turning it over in my mind. It has warmth, depth of color, and it glows like old amber.” Well said!
Our Church Ministry Team did it again! Hosted a ‘clothing closet’ give away early in the month, and as usual, folks contributed lots of gently used clothing. Our Converge teens helped sort the garments, and we hosted the give-a-way the first Saturday to the delight of our community friends.
The CDC celebrated 75 years of providing childcare for Culpeper families with their annual Touch-a-Truck event, which included a moon bounce, face painting and all things fun for kids of all ages not to mention all kinds of vehicles! The following day, CBC as part of our 250th Anniversary celebration, welcomed back Amy Martin and Frances Laffoon for the 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services, both were former directors of the CDC.
Small groups are meeting again including the BSF men’s and women’s Bible Study groups, a Precept study led by Pam Jackson and a study led by Grace Savage that includes zoom options. Jamie Jackson is leading a study on Sunday mornings that explains the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Our grief support group is up and running again at the county library now through late October as well. Youth and Young Adult small groups also meet weekly.
CBC hosted the local 9/11 Memorial Commemoration event with local police, fire and EMT personnel in attendance as well as civic leaders and folks from around our community.
We continued our 2024 Concert series with the Washington Balalaika Society performance near the end of the month. The orchestra performed the music of Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Russia and other countries using traditional folk instruments. It is the largest orchestra of its kind in America and has performed in the greater Washington, D.C. area for 35 years. The love offering received [$3,100] will be sent to churches in Ukraine to help with humanitarian needs.
Our church family gathered near the end of the month for the Fall business meeting. Two proposed nominees, Susanne Dorsey and Bob McCall, were approved to serve a 3-year term on the Leadership Council and the lease with Generations Central was approved as well. Reports submitted for future action include the slate of proposed deacons to serve a 3-year term beginning January 1, 2025: Mike Supon, Annie Powers, Grace Savage, Allison Ford and Myrna Dunn. The deacon election will be held in November. In addition, the Finance Committee submitted a proposal to move $250,000 from the Endowment Fund to apply to our existing mortgage so our church family could be praying about this request and be prepared to vote upon it at the December business meeting.
Our Play Date partners are preparing for a second launch in the next several weeks and have spruced up their digs on the first floor. Generations Central hosted the Aging Together annual meeting, and our senior adults made their annual trek to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Look for some really special events as we move toward the conclusion of our 250th year-long celebration of ministry to Culpeper!
We capped off the month by joining Antioch Baptist Church in a homecoming service at the Davis Street church, our former location. This was the first time since the Civil War the two congregations had worshipped together! Despite the rainy, gray day, many folks came out and packed the sanctuary for this very special service. We express our thanks to Bishop Harold Smith and the church family of Free Gospel Church of Christ, the current occupants of the building, for their generous hospitality.
A busy month, to be sure! Check our website often for dates and times of future events connected with our 250th Anniversary as well as events centered around the upcoming holidays. Stay well, and I will see you next month.
August 2024 Recap
Hello August! I can hardly believe we are edging toward the end of Summer. We already see yellow school buses and the happy chatter of kids and teens as they get going with a new school year. Fall doesn’t officially begin for another three weeks, but folks are already anticipating the return of cooler days.
We welcomed back Bert and Rose Browning the first weekend of the month. They were our guests on Saturday afternoon, August 3rd, for the church-wide picnic at The Culpeper celebrating our long relationship with LifeSpire — from the modest beginning at the Millman home to the present location on Village Loop—we have a lot to celebrate. My goodness! There were probably 200 people in attendance. The pork barbecue was delicious, and the summer shower didn’t dampen our enjoyment at all. Folks milled around in small groups reminiscing as they studied the photos of bygone times and artifacts from the former building. The younger set enjoyed the bouncy house and lawn games prior to the rain shower.
The Browning’s visit culminated with Bert speaking at both services on Sunday morning. His sermon was a ‘timely reminder and challenge of who we are in the “best” days of the church and provided perspective on where we have been, where we are now and the invitation to move into a great future.’
Our young adults hosted a cookout and board games in anticipation of connecting with other young adults that have recently moved into the area. They have begun a new study from the book of John and meet on Monday nights. Converge also kicked off a ‘get-acquainted’ night and welcomed new students as well as rising middle and high schoolers.
The last summer concert, featuring Charly Beathard, Eli Gable and Cade Thompson occurred August 17th. In case you did not attend, just know you missed some great up and coming musicians! Look for their names to appear ‘in lights’ as they climb the ladder of Christian music.
The first and third Wednesdays kicked off on August 21st with a taco dinner beginning at the new time of 5:30 p.m. followed by break out groups at 6:15 p.m. — featuring children’s and youth ministry as well as adult Bible studies. There’s a place for you, come join us!
The Anniversary Choir is tuning up and will be singing at least once a month during the fall! Their rehearsal times are 2nd and 4th Mondays from now until December 8th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.
The last Sunday of the month we welcomed back Dr. and Mrs. Bill Cale along with their son and his family. Dr. Cale is the son of our former pastor, Reverend Frank Cale, who pastored CBC from 1947—1957. He led us down memory lane with some of his fondest memories from the family’s time at CBC.
Well, friends, this hazy, humid weather will soon morph into Autumn—bringing cooler temperatures, and brightly colored leaves. I’m so ready for the change! See you next month.
July 2024 Recap
Ripplebrook, like the rest of Culpeper, was hot and humid this month—some days clocking in at 100+ degrees. On those days, my birdbath was as busy as an airport terminal, with an assortment of songbirds coming for a splash and the occasional squirrel for a cool drink! I’m grudgingly letting the squirrels drink because it’s so hot—so long as they leave the flowers alone. The little thieves are forever burying peanuts they’ve raided from my neighbor’s bird feeders or digging in the lilies looking for who knows what! I’ve even caught them peering through the windowpanes of the French doors into my dining room. We have a complicated relationship, to be sure.
Our dear friends, Chuck Seipp and Randy Sheets brought their Salute to Veterans Concert to CBC on July 3rd, and the house was packed as usual! The program was superb with lots of great videography. We were treated to a host of old favorites such as Shenandoah, God Bless America and who can forget John Philip Sousa’s, Stars and Stripes Forever! One of my favorites was the Variations on Yankee Doodle! Special guest musicians for the evening were Louisa Loe, flautist, and Mike Cano of The U. S. Army Band (Retired). Chuck and Randy have been entertaining audiences for over ten years across 25 states!
The next day, CBC hosted the Freedom 5k race with over 300 participants. We welcomed all-comers from seasoned running enthusiasts to fitness walkers and spectators; all the proceeds from the race went to SAFE.
Have you heard about PlayDate, yet? It’s a Children’s Museum we are hosting on the first floor of our building. It’s a special place for children to use their lively imaginations and develop critical thinking skills through engaging in hands-on-play. This is the brainchild of three moms who wanted more for their children. Now we host them so children in Culpeper can take advantage of learning through play. Check out the Play Date website for additional opportunities to volunteer, donate, and visit with your kids or grandchildren.
Mid-month as part of our 250th Anniversary, we welcomed back Jimmy Durham and his son, Jonathan from North Carolina to CBC. Jimmy was the Director of Music here from 1985 until his retirement in 2004 and Minister to Senior Adults from 1996 until 2004.
Our friends from the Potomac Modular Train Group joined us the weekend of July 19-21. You should have been here when our IG Space gradually morphed into an operational HO scale layout! Kids of all ages visited and thoroughly enjoyed observing the trains circle the room.
Near the end of the month, Converge welcomed new students and rising 6th graders with a special Middle School Night consisting of pizza, fun and getting ready to launch a new year with our community youth group.
Our summer Community Worship Nights continued this month and included the Cline Band along with Sam McCabe, and MacKenzie Phillips—up and coming young artists in the Christian music field. There was plenty of audience engagement and lots of great music.
Generations Central hosted a summer carnival and later in the month, a Luau party complete with palm trees, leis, music, food and good vibes. Their guests for this event were their friends from Heroes Bridge, a non-profit organization based in Warrenton, Virginia that provides services for aging veterans.
CHISPARK this year was fantastic! It was our 4th year, and we saw growth not only in numbers but also in relationships. The kids had an absolute blast with engaging lessons, fun activities, and wonderful community partners. None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our church members and the Culpeper community. A huge thank you to our dedicated teachers and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this camp experience unforgettable!
And speaking of teachers and school, Antioch Baptist Church came the last Saturday of the month for their annual Back to School give-away of school supplies to local families. It’s always a pleasure to host this event and catch up on all the news at Antioch! Kudos to Mrs. Darlene Brown and her team from Antioch who make this happen each year! It’s hard to believe that summer vacation is almost over for local students and that they will return to classes early next month. And, that my dear friends, wraps up the month of July. Enjoy the remaining summer and stay well.
June
I can hardly believe we’ve turned another calendar page! Well, there’s lots happening here at CBC since my last recap! We’ve welcomed three newcomers to the church staff: Chris Rogers as Assistant Director of Young Adults, Eva Parker as Worship and A/V Summer Intern, and Rebecca Schwier as Choir Director! Welcome aboard, friends.
Folks, our new staff members are already hard at work. Chris and his wife, Anna, are leading a new young adult study entitled, How to Know a Person, by David Brooks. This study challenges us to set aside our egos and look beyond people’s superficial traits to really get to know them, their stories, their passions, motivations, etc. Rebecca persuaded the guys of the church to form a men’s choir in celebration of Father’s Day, and the word on the street is they did a great job! Eva has been busy, as well, assisting with preparations for the Freedom 5k and other duties.
Meanwhile Jeanine and Maria have kept the children engaged with meaningful and fun activities including Passport Kids Camp at Eagle Eyrie [eight children and two adults attended] as well as a local dance camp. Kids from all over the community enjoyed a week of dance at the Exploring Dance Camp presented by Charlottesville Ballet. They learned about ballet and jazz and performed for over 50 parents and friends at the end of the week. We look forward to welcoming them back in December for their presentation of Class with Clara and again next summer. In addition, the Child Development Center completed a week of Vacation Bible School while learning all about Joseph and his many trials. Through having fun with crafts, music and games, children in both the preschool and elementary programs learned about our amazing God.
Generations Central (Adult Day Center) initiated the Stronger Memory Program during the month at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesdays under Hans’ leadership, and they are enjoying the process of strengthening their memories with this innovative program. They also hosted a small car show during the month in honor of Father’s Day.
Hannah Parobek, a missionary to Thailand and friend of the Murdocks, visited in June to share her experiences in Thailand as she seeks to share her life and glorify God for youth who need someone to encourage and mentor them. Twenty-two of our FUGE youth group traveled to James Madison University to attend Revival Generation summer camp! Judging by the photos posted on facebook, everyone had a wonderful experience.
Our summer concert series, 50 Small Towns, 1 Big God worship night, featuring Jeremy Rosado, Iveth Luna and Jesse Labelle, up-and-coming artists in the Christian music genre’, opened to an enthusiastic audience. There are two more concerts scheduled during the summer; in fact, you can catch the next one on July 11th at 7:00 p.m. featuring MacKenzie Phillips, Cline and Sam McCabe.
Play Date, a non-profit children’s museum that debuted at the 2024 Touch a Truck and Family Expo earlier this year, has moved into our first floor down the hall from the fellowship hall. Their mission is to provide children in Culpeper and the surrounding area with a place to learn through interactive, hands-on-play.
Danny Emory, our Youth Intern, traveled to Nicaragua on a mission trip with Food for the Hungry, a Christian, humanitarian aid and global development organization that seeks to build resilience so that children, families and communities can flourish. She was thrilled to return to the same village she had visited a year ago, and renew friendships during that trip. And speaking of missions, you will have an opportunity this summer to help churches in Ukraine and Pakistan again by contributing to the Summer Mission Offering. So far folks have given $1060. We are looking forward to having Pastor Joel from Pakistan and Pastor Vasyl from Ukraine visit with us later this fall. How cool is that?!
That, my friends, wraps up the highlights for now. Have a great Independence Day. Stay well and c o o l.
April
‘Spring has sprung,’ as “they” say—I know this because my car now sports a dusty yellow powder from stem to stern, and my allergies are in full blown rebellion against this intrusion into the inner sanctum of my sinus tract! AND, Mrs. Wren visited the birdbath on my patio early one morning for a cool dip as I stood at the dining room window surveying the now neatly mulched and manicured flower beds. New life is sprouting up all around the sprawling length of Ripplebrook Drive! I love to drink in this beauty of God’s creation—it’s like a mellow, fine wine to be enjoyed along with the bouquet of Iris and Lavendar in the company of Robins, the occasional juvenile bunny and the ever-present squirrels cavorting through the mulch. An opulent feast, to be sure!
What a busy month! Right at the top of the lineup during the early days of April was the Royal Harpist’s Concert, featuring Claire Jones and her husband, Chris. Jones is one of Britan’s top classical performers and is married to Welsh composer, Chris Marshall. Together they are an exciting and engaging duo and treated us to an eclectic program of selections. Look for the handbell ensemble, Virginia Bronze, next month! Come and bring your friends.
A few days after Jones’ appearance, we welcomed the Unreal Tour, featuring Unspoken, Sanctus Real and J. J. Weeks, to a sold-out house! I’m told it was a great concert, and folks these guys are winners of the Dove Award for Modern Rock Album of the Year as well as Grammy nominees! Look for additional concerts featuring up-and-coming artists as Spring glides into early Summer.
Jeanine and Maria have pulled off two Fun Filled Faith mornings on the 2 and 4th Sundays during the month; this is a great opportunity for our young families to connect with each other after the 9:00 a.m. service. Not to be outdone, our youth are busy with fundraising activities to finance a portion of expenses for FUGE in a few months. They’ve got a first Sunday fundraiser in May—check our website for date and time.
The Young Adults enjoyed a cookout at the end of the month with Geary and Karen Parkinson. On a more serious note, they welcomed Anna Nalle, founder of Transformational Freedom Initiative, to their speaker series dinner earlier in the month. TFI is an anti- human trafficking organization that empowers against exploitation by raising awareness and prevention of trafficking in central Virginia and Shenandoah Valley. She shared her journey of founding TFI and the steps she has taken to make a difference in her world.
Everyone enjoyed the Worship Night the evening of April 24th that featured praise, prayer and worship. I attended one earlier in the year, and it’s a time to unwind, relax and enjoy worship and fellowship in an intimate atmosphere.
Our grief support group that met at the Culpeper Library for the past eight weeks finished their study and is taking a break until June 25. If you are grieving the death of a loved one or friend, this is a safe and caring group for you to process the pain of loss as well as find encouragement to move forward to rebuild your life. Keep an eye on our website for more information about plans for the summer group.
Of course, there were numerous other activities during the month . . . our building is bustling with activity throughout the week with Moms and Dads dropping off kiddies to the Child Development Center, or family members bringing friends to Generations Central for the day; not to mention Bible studies, blanket ministries, Girl Scout meetings, and the list goes on. A few weeks ago, I found this adorable jingle on youtube entitled, “All God’s Children Got a Place in the Choir. . ., some sing low and some sing higher. . .’” well. . . there’s a place for you somewhere in the life of CBC. Stop by and let us help you find your niche.
March 2024 Recap
March has been as unpredictable as a thunderstorm in tornado alley! Sunny and warm one moment, windy and cold the next; rainy, foggy and everything in between! Just when you think warm weather might be here to stay, BOOM! Grey skies open, weeping as a thin grey mist crawls down the windowpanes, bone-chilling cold makes your teeth chatter and the wind whistles through the stark leafless trees like a run-away train! Never mind, the earth is waking from her winter rest—the Robins have returned, the grass is getting green, tulips are blooming—soon we’ll be “commenting” about the heat.
If you have’t attended our 1st & 3rd Wednesdays lately, you might want to consider attending—the food is great, the fellowship is warm and inclusive and ‘there’s something for everyone.’ Young adults, teens and children as well as adults of all ages touch base in their small groups throughout the month with Bible study, games and social events.
Senior adults are taking advantage of the fun and innovative program, Stronger Memories,’ that launched the first of March. Whether you are on the spectrum of mild cognitive impairment or simply want to thrive as you age, you’ll enjoy this fun and entertaining mind workout. Just 20-30 minutes per day reading aloud, writing, and completing simple math problems will have you firing neurons and reveling in all those synapses in no time. Come on and join us!
Mid-month, the fabulous Nathaniel Gumbs opened our 2024 Concert Series with a marvelous program spanning musical genre’s such as classical, African American spirituals, and Gospel—to name a few! Dr. Gumbs, who currently serves as the Interim Minister of Music and Fine Arts at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, NY, was recognized in 2017 by The Diapason magazine for his achievements. He is a first generation, self-taught church musician who started to learn the piano and organ around age 10 but did not have his first formal organ lesson until he was in college! If you missed his concert, you missed a real treat. However, there are six more concerts scheduled, with Claire Jones, one of Britain’s finest classical harpists, joining us April 9 at 7:00 p.m.
The annual Way of the Cross Prayer Walk, uniting churches in the Community as they prepare for Easter, happened on a drizzly Saturday—forced inside this year because of spring rains. Culpeper United Methodist Church quickly pivoted and opened their doors rather than cancel the event. Thank You to our friends across the way!
Palm Sunday launched Holy Week with an enthusiastic procession at the 9:00 a.m. service on March 24. Kids and their parents came into the sanctuary waving palm leaves, commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem and the events leading up to the cross. Our Maundy Thursday service was held in the sanctuary with the communion table in the center of the room and the chairs arranged around the table. We reflected on the centrality of the table and Jesus’ invitation to all of us. Our Good Friday service was held in the courtyard as we shared in the scriptures and songs of the ccross. On Sunday morning, we welcomed Easter at The Culpeper with a sunrise service at 7:00 a.m. Later that morning, our church family gathered in the sanctuary to joyously celebrate the resurrection and all that it means to us as believers! We were especially glad to unveil the painting of “The First Easter” at Mt. Poney. Alessandra Cortese de Bosis is the artists that painted this for us and it is a beautiful rendering of what the first Easter of our church might have looked like. We provided hand signed prints of the painting to all who attended.
Thus, another month has drawn to a close in the life of our church. This is a small glimpse of the many ways our church impacts those around us in the Name of Jesus. Until next month, stay well.
February 2024 Recap
Even with an extra day, February has passed by like a whirlwind! And. . . speaking of wind, we are right on the cusp of March—when winds howl and you might even see a snow flake or two—the weather is that unpredictable! I hope we’ll enjoy some 70 degree days next month—as a precursor to a warm and sunny spring!
Unlike January when we cancelled Acoustic Café because of wintry weather, February brought our old friends, Ronnie Williams and the Carter Family Sound, back to Culpeper for an engaging evening of country music performed in the style of the famous Carter Family of country music fame. The lilting music of the Carter family sprang from down Southwest Virginia way and came to full flower in Henrico County, the Carter’s base of operations—just a few miles southeast of here. Amazing! Many thanks to Geary Parkinson for continuing to treat us to a musical feast with many of his friends and neighbors.
Our kickoff of the 250th year-long Anniversary is in full swing, now, with the coming of Dr. Bob Roberts early in the month and Rob Fox, a returning alumnus of youth intern fame. Dr. Roberts, son of a Baptist preacher from a small town in East Texas, is a trailblazer and leading thinker in the areas of peacemaking and international religions; as well as a champion of evangelism and what it looks like to live out the commitment to love others who are different from us. He is founder of GlocalNet and Multi-Faith Neighbors Network—non-profits that help to create and encourage religious freedom through international, cross cultural relationships. His message was timely and challenged us to think through why religious freedom for others means religious freedom for us and how our fears can be a hindrance in reaching others for Christ.
Conversely, Rob Fox, a former member and youth intern at CBC during the 1990s, shared a wonderful testimony of how our support and encouragement during that time influenced the trajectory of his life and subsequent call to the ministry. Look for other alumni to return throughout the year. In fact, Allen Taliaferro and his family will visit in March, and Allen will preach in both services the first Sunday!
As many of you have heard, Amy Martin, Director of the Child Development Center for the past decade, has resigned to spend more time with her family. Staff hosted a farewell reception during the month, giving friends and church members an opportunity to express their appreciation for all of her hard work. Thank YOU, Amy! Best wishes to you and your family. Meanwhile, the CDC Board is on the search for another Director.
Our worship team visited Highlands Church in southwest Virginia near the end of the month to glean ideas from their worship and children’s ministries. Always friendly and welcoming, Highlands staff made everyone feel right at home and invited Lindsay and Christina to participate in worship with them.
If small group activities are more your ‘cup of tea,’ the month was chocked full of those activities as well. The youth went snow tubing, our men’s group gathered for a Saturday breakfast and Bible study, the senior adults delivered USDA food boxes to area folks, and we gathered for dinner and special music from Christina and Lindsay on Valentine’s evening. Speaking of Valentine’s Day, the little people from the Child Development Center brought hand-crafted valentines to the clients of Generations Central and visited for awhile, too!
All-in-all, February was busy as CBC shared the love of Jesus with each other and our surrounding community. If you’re wondering how you can plug in to the network, give Pastor Dan or Hans a call, they can always steer you toward an area that will utilize your gifts and talents. Until next month, stay well, and may you be blessed!
January
My goodness, January was hardly more than a hazy blur. The weather was a mixed bag with lots of grey, foggy days, a little snow/ice and even one 80F day that blew the temperature records off the charts! Typical Virginia weather. . . always changing. Acoustic Café was even cancelled due to inclement weather—to the dismay of their fans.
Over 30 of our folks traveled to Montpelier January 13th, to hear John Ragosta, historian at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello, discuss James Madison’s contribution to the development of religious freedom here in Virginia and the United States. Pastor Dan also discussed the role and legacies of dissenting Baptist ministers in the national story of religious freedom. His presentation focused in particular on the connection of Culpeper Baptist’s/Mt. Poney’s involvement through the efforts of John Leland and Baptists in and around Culpeper. During the birth of our country, Baptist ministers and lay people in this area were instrumental in persuading Madison to address the religious freedom issue. Many of these same men were arrested and put in the Culpeper jail. Nevertheless, they continued to preach the Gospel.
Thank You for your generosity during the Matching Gift Challenge! We exceeded our $100,000 match with a total giving of $124,300! We are making a payment of $400,000 on our debt, lowering the total debt to $1,200,000 (which includes the $450,000 debt we had on the 2012 building when we started the sanctuary building renovation). In addition, we received over $52,000 this year for Christmas Missions, which was $15,000 more than our previous year! Over the past 2 years, we have sent more than $200,000 to meet the needs of churches in Ukraine, Pakistan and Israel and Gaza. Staff mailed end of year giving statements near the end of the month. For questions, contact Mark Torosian.
All of our small groups are back from their Christmas break. The young adult group gathered to study Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, the youth group is planning a snow tubing event soon, and the senior adults are busy planning a Spring trip to Charleston, SC.
As you know from past recaps, Amy Martin will be leaving us in February. Well- wishers and staff gathered near the end of the month for a reception and dinner in her honor. Amy was instrumental in leading our Child Development Center through a crucial expansion of their ministry to families here in Culpeper. We wish you well, Amy. Come back and visit with us often.
Friends, this is just a small sample of the happenings within our church family. Thank you for the many ways you participate and support our church and its’ ministries. Hoping to see you Sunday at Dr. Bob Roberts’ workshop! Stay well and I’ll chat with you next month.