Rev. Bev Coppley, our Senior Missional Strategist, is an ordained Elder in the Western North Carolina Conference. She is a native of Lexington, NC and a graduate of Wake Forest University and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. In addition to a student pastorate in the Great Rivers Conference of Illinois and years of service in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Bev has served for decades in churches of all sizes right here in Western North Carolina. She most recently served seven years as Northern Piedmont District Superintendent. In her ministry she has served as a Missional Network Leader, a district resource, a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry, and is a past chair of the WNCC Conference Relations Committee. Her roles in churches have included staff roles, associate pastor roles, co-pastor roles, solo pastor roles, and senior pastor roles. 

Her work is in tandem with the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, where she serves as the Director of Reimagining Congregations. This role is a synthesis of vitality work, new church starts, and church property strategy. Her role blends strategy, navigation, encouragement, sustainability and innovation. 

Bev and her husband Jeff (pastor of Morris Chapel UMC in Walkertown) have two adult children, Ellen and Thomas. Ellen and her husband Frank live in Greensboro. Ellen is a graduate of Salem College and a member of the lay staff at Covenant Church in High Point; Frank is a small business owner. They are the proud parents of Lucia and Millie. Thomas and his wife Lindsey live in East Bend. Thomas is a graduate of Appalachian State and is with The Cook & Boardman Group in Winston-Salem; Lindsey is with Carter Bank.  

Bev enjoys mentoring, seeing people and missions succeed, and partnering to seek clarity and highest purpose. Her hobbies include hiking, reading, educational travel, and cooking with local produce.  Bev has been active in civic leadership through Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, multiple PTAs, Rotary International and as a served as an election judge and classroom volunteer.