First Presbyterian Church
Tifton, Georgia
LEADERSHIP AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
The best church leader is a team. At First Presbyterian Church, we’re blessed with an outstanding group of dedicated believers and religious leaders who conduct services, run events and keep our church families and community on a clear spiritual path.
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“I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Jeremiah 3:15
Rev. Dr. William (Biff) Coker
My wife, Cheryl (a true Georgia Peach), and I have been married 43 years, only 17 years to go. She’s always said, “After 60 years, I’m going to go sow my wild oats.” We live in Leesburg, GA and have 3 children, Callie, Cammie, and Chase. Callie and her husband, Josh, have 2 children, Judson (13), who knows the names of every Dinosaur that ever lived and Rylee (9), who writes and illustrates short stories. They live in Valdosta, GA. Cammie and her husband, Ryan, have 2 little girls, Avery (5), who loves Frozen and Mattie (3), who loves Cinderella. They live in Cochran, GA, home of the must-see experience of a lifetime, the Cochran Cotton and Peanut Museum. Chase and his wife, Allie, live in Leesburg, GA and have 1 newborn, Whitley (9 mo), that’s “Whitley”, not “Whitney.” Our grand young’uns call me “Pop B”, and Cheryl, “Mimi.”
Cheryl’s parents are as old as Georgia Red Clay. Her dad, Marc, is 94, and her mother, Athelyn (pronounced Ath’-uh-lynn), is 91. They live in the North Georgia Mountains between Helen and Hiawassee, GA.
My father, Bill Coker, died in 2008. My mother, Blanche Coker, is 96. She still drives, exercises every day, loves Big Band music, can still do the Jitterbug, and has the energy of a teenager. She has a younger boyfriend who’s 95, which, of course, makes her a “Cougar.”
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I’m a grad of “The University,” which means I’m a Longhorn, a lonely Longhorn surrounded by Bulldogs everywhere in Georgia, including my wife who is a Georgia grad and diehard Bulldog. At Texas, I pledged the KA Fraternity (which explains why I’m a preacher), became a Young Life Club Leader, majored in Psychology (didn’t help, did it?), and graduated in 1977.
After graduation, I was called to be the “Director of Christian Education and Youth Ministry” at the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church in Westlake Hills (suburb of Austin). After a year at Westlake Hills Pres, I went to Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta, GA and began Greek School in 1978. While taking classes during my 2nd year, I served as the Youth Director at the Decatur Presbyterian Church. In my 3rd year, Cheryl and I married and moved to Dallas, TX where I served as the College and Singles Intern at the Highland Park Presbyterian Church (sure felt good to be back in God’s country). After 15 months in Dallas, we moved back to Atlanta to finish my senior year at Columbia (was hard to leave that Texas BBQ).
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After graduation, I was called to serve as the Associate Pastor at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Albany, GA. After 2 years, I was called to be the founding pastor of a New Church Development in Valdosta, GA. We named the new Church, Trinity, and while there, I completed a Doctorate in Ministry and became certified as a Marriage and Family Therapist. After 300+ members, 3 new buildings, and 18 years, I was called back to Covenant in Albany to become the Senior Pastor.
We stayed at Covenant, for the 2nd time, another 18 years, and on December 31, 2020, I retired and started playing with grandchildren, buying rental properties, playing golf every other day, and hanging out with my Georgia Peach. Shortly after retirement, I was called to provide pastoral services for the First Presbyterian Church in Tifton, GA and to serve as the Executive Director of Whiz Kids (a 501c3 Nonprofit tutoring mission we created – Donations accepted!!!).
I guess I didn’t get the memo that when you retire, you’re supposed to stop doing what you did for 40 years. Though I’m busier than I was before retirement, it sure is fun!
Grace and Peace,
Biff