After 25 years of service in Belleview and 50 years in ministry overall, Grace Baptist Church is saying goodbye to a familiar face in the community while welcoming a new pastor to continue the church’s next chapter.
On Sunday, May 17, Grace Baptist Church of Belleview honored Pastor Rocky Culpepper and his wife, Mrs. Dianna Culpepper, as the couple officially entered retirement following decades of ministry.
According to the church, Pastor Culpepper spent 25 years serving the Belleview congregation after ministering in Alabama, Michigan and South Carolina. Church members described his leadership as compassionate, grounded in Biblical teaching and centered on caring for the people placed in his ministry.
Throughout his career, Mrs. Dianna Culpepper stood alongside him in ministry, supporting congregations across multiple states before the couple eventually made Belleview home. The church noted that the Culpeppers recently celebrated 50 years of service to Jesus Christ and said the couple’s impact on the congregation and community will not soon be forgotten.
“Pastor Rocky and Mrs. Dianna will truly be missed by all whose lives they have graciously touched,” the church shared in a statement, adding that the congregation is praying for God’s blessings on the couple as they begin retirement.
At the same time, Grace Baptist Church is preparing to welcome its next pastor and his family. On Sunday, May 24, the church will officially welcome Pastor Josh Henderson, his wife Katie, and their children Laurel and Joel to the fellowship. Henderson previously served as assistant pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Fruitland Park.
