Elon University students
Power & Place Collaborative
Alamance County Harwood Initiative’s Narrative Team
Reverend Larry Covington serves as the pastor of Ebenezer United Church of Christ in Burlington, North Carolina. He was born in Danville, Virginia, but has traveled throughout the world in the name of service to spread the word of God. Rev. Covington has dedicated his life to serving God and his community.
“Inch by inch, life’s a cinch; yard by yard, life is hard,” is a quote that guides Rev. Covington’s approach to serving his community. “We’re helping people inch by inch,” said Reverend Covington. He believes community action must happen on both large and small scales to sustain change. Reverend Covington has initiated multiple service projects and programs to better the community, inch by inch, one of which includes a church consulting group.
“And by making them a better person (inch by inch),” said Rev. Covington. “We’re making the world a better place. We’re making Alamance County a better place. So we work on the micro-level but also on a larger scale, making sure people have homes, ensuring that people get their light bills paid…”
Rev. Covington’s passion for the community, his faith, and his work are inspired by his childhood. As a child, his family did not have an abundance of money, but his community was full of joy but also violence. As a child, he remembers his mother shielding him from witnessing acts of police brutality by escaping into a grocery store. He remembers watching his brother and father battle addictions. These experiences are what call him to publicly march in protests, serve those battling addictions, and show up for his community each day.
Today, Rev. Covington serves Alamance County in a multitude of ways. When he notices a gap in the system, he tries to find a way to fill it. He works with Ebenezer Church of Christ’s congregation to run grief support groups, provide shelter and counseling for those experiencing domestic violence and loss, and host food drives during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rev. Covington is the embodiment of a public servant. He has devoted his life to lifting up those around him. Through injustice, Rev. Covington stands as a shining example of what he believes is the true role of a leader: someone who, by their example, inspires others to give parts of themselves and help others.
After giving so much to this community, Reverend Covington continues his work to achieve his dream of “Dying Empty.” To finally, after decades of giving to the world, finish his journey not from mere fatigue but to simply have nothing left to give to God, his family, and his community.
