Today I’m joined by Reverend Charles Coverdale, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Riverhead and a central voice in faith, civic leadership, and community building on the East End for more than four decades. Reverend Coverdale is preparing to retire at the end of December, marking the close of an extraordinary chapter of service.

Prior to moving into my questions, Pastor Coverdale opened with a powerful, deeply personal introduction that traced the experiences that shaped him, from his family’s roots and early childhood to the moments that formed his worldview, his faith, and ultimately his calling.

In our conversation, we talk about his upbringing, his years as an educator, his time at Harvard Business School, and what first brought him to the First Baptist Church back in 1982. We also explore his work beyond the pulpit, founding community organizations, serving as a chaplain with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and becoming a consistent advocate for human rights, civil rights, and interfaith cooperation.

We also discuss a dream nearly four decades in the making: the long-planned community center and affordable-housing project. Under Pastor Coverdale’s leadership, the Family Community Life Center vision has finally moved toward reality, with approved plans for a community hub that includes a 10,000-square-foot center, affordable housing, and recreational space.

Across more than forty years in Riverhead, Pastor Coverdale has played many roles: pastor, teacher, organizer, bridge-builder. In this episode, he reflects on that journey, the moments that shaped him, the community he helped nurture, and his hopes for the future of his congregation and the wider East End.