LifeSpire of Virginia Congratulates Culpeper Baptist Church for AARP Community Partner of the Year Award

Genea Luck, AARP Virginia Associate State Director for Community Outreach for Central Virginia, presents Rev. Hans Murdock of Culpeper Baptist Church with the 2019 Community Partner of the Year award. (Photo credit: Melody Robbins)

On November 12, Culpeper Baptist Church received the AARP Virginia Community Partner of the Year Award during the AARP Virginia All-Volunteer Assembly in Richmond. The church won the award as a result of its community engagement and partnership with LifeSpire of Virginia’s community in Culpeper, Va., The Culpeper.

Hans Murdock, the senior adult pastor and chaplain at The Culpeper, accepted the award on behalf of the church. Murdock splits his time between Culpeper Baptist Church and The Culpeper in a unique arrangement designed to meet the spiritual needs of residents and seniors in the broader Culpeper community.

The Community Partner of the Year Award recognizes an organization or agency that has made outstanding contributions to the work of AARP Virginia by collaborating with AARP volunteers and staff to enhance the quality of life for members of the community.

The church, under the direction of Murdock, collaborated with AARP to host four Movies for Grownups events, two Veterans Appreciation events, a Faith Leaders and Caregivers event and by hosting several planning committee meetings for the Aging Together Coalition.

The church also has several multicultural ministries including a Korean service, a Spanish group and it has promoted the AARP Prepare to Care resource books to their ministries.

 “The local church should lead the faith conversations in our community and I think that most residents want to be connected to a local faith community,” said Pastor Dan Carlton. “It draws the church out of its shell and allows church leaders to be aware of greater needs.”

Culpeper Baptist Church has a long history of community partnerships including the founding of The Culpeper. Today, about 35 residents are active members of the church.

“There’s exponential value in partnerships,” Carlton commented. “Culpeper Baptist Church is one of the oldest churches in the region and is committed to being a model for others in serving the broader community.”

The All-Volunteer Assembly honors AARP Virginia’s most dedicated volunteers. AARP Virginia volunteers provide outreach and advocacy for more than one million AARP members in Virginia as well as all Virginians age 50+, and are committed to community service and helping everyone age with dignity and purpose.