A Legacy of Faithfulness

DORENE COTHRAN

Dorene Cothran and her husband, Tiff, began attending TVC in 1981 when it was still known as Highland Village First Baptist Church. To say the Cothrans were faithful members of The Village is simply not enough honor. Tiff and Dorene were a part of a small group of devoted members of HVFBC asking God to do something, pleading with Him to pour out His Spirit on this area, in this place where they saw so many people stuck or far from the Lord.

Dorene held many positions over the years here at TVC. She was a Home Group leader, Sunday school teacher, Finance counting team member, greeter, and Worship Center chair back team member. Additionally, she was on staff as the Financial Secretary a number of years through the 90s.

Just before their 60th wedding anniversary, Tiff passed on to glory, and on March 6, 2023 Dorene joined him. The loss of the Cothrans is immeasurable for us as a church, but their legacy of faithfulness lives on. From the pulpit on March 12, 2023, Matt Chandler said these words of honor:

“In a culture that’s just absolutely consumed by youthfulness, I want us to celebrate rightly someone who ran hard for 90 years and was still serving Jesus with all her might the week she died. The Anglo church doesn’t have what other churches would call ‘church mothers,’ these women who are meant to be emulated and celebrated, pillars of the church that really are a kind of matriarch to the congregation….If the Lord has moved in your life at this church, [Dorene] somehow had her hand in it.”

Throughout her life, Dorene gracefully embodied the closing line of our 2030 Vision: Every day, in all spaces, through each season of life, we are joyfully building beyond ourselves, living the greater story together, and creating a kingdom legacy for generations to come.

Dorene had a heart for local missions and, upon her passing, gave a generous gift to TVC to be used to reach those around us.

Her generosity will bless our community for years to come.

We rest assured that Dorene is with God and heard the treasured words, “Well done.”