‘A community pillar’: Town Board salutes the First Baptist Church of Riverhead at 100

First Baptist Church of Riverhead celebrated its 100th anniversary this year and on Tuesday, the Riverhead Town Board recognized this milestone with a proclamation presented to church leaders at the start of the board’s regular meeting. 

Supervisor Tim Hubbard presented the proclamation to Senior Pastor Charles Coverdale, recognizing a congregation that began as a home prayer mission for Southern migrant farmworkers and grew into one of Riverhead’s most influential faith communities. 

“The church has been devoted to supporting and improving the Riverhead community through outreach programs for the youth and families of our community. The First Baptist Church has also been active in the missions field, in support of projects locally, domestically and abroad, all in their endeavor to spread hope through the Christian principles of faith,” Hubbard said, reading from the proclamation. 

First Baptist is “community pillar where faith and community come together and all are welcome with open hearts and doors,” the proclamation said.

The church’s roots go back to 1916, when migrant farmworkers who had no place to worship began gathering on Sunday evenings in the home of the Rev. William C. Harris, the Rev. Cynthia Liggon, First Baptist’s assistant pastor and executive administrator wrote in a church history earlier this year. As the group outgrew living rooms, members converted a milk barn into a small chapel and became Centerville Baptist Church, with Harris as the first pastor.  

As the congregation grew, its leaders purchased land on Raynor Avenue in Riverhead. Though the deed labeled it the Centerville Colored Baptist Church, the founders rejected that name and laid a cornerstone establishing The First Baptist Church of Riverhead instead. 

Today the church worships at its Northville Turnpike campus, where, under Coverdale’s more than four decades of leadership, First Baptist has expanded both its footprint and its mission. The church has hosted the long-running Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast, provides prison ministry and counseling for inmates at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility, operates the Open Arms Care Center food pantry and continues to advance its vision for the Family Community Life Center and Northville Commons, a community hub with housing, recreation and services for families.  

The church family and supporters celebrated its centennial in June with a gala banquet at Majestic Gardens in Rocky Point. See story and photos: “The First Baptist Church of Riverhead celebrates its centennial” (June 25)

Yesterday, the town supervisor commended First Baptist for its work.

“All the outreach, all the things you’ve been involved in in the town, for our community over the years. It has been phenomenal, and we really appreciate everything you’ve done,” Hubbard said after reading the proclamation. 

“You’ve helped so many people and people in need,” he said to Coverdale. “We don’t always show up in the pew, but sometimes we need that pew, and we have to show up and you give us guidance and assistance and help. You’ve done a fantastic job for 44 years,” Hubbard said. “So best of luck to everybody and here’s to another 100.”