Tembila Covington

Elder Tembila Christine Covington's Calling to Pastoral duties and desire to Leadership began earlier in her life. She says, 'neither desires have waned' as she matured into adulthood. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion & Philosophy from Shaw University, a Master of Science in Agricultural Education from N.C. Agricultural & Technical State University and matriculating at Morehead State University (Kentucky) to pursue a Doctorate in Higher Education and Leadership. Elder Tembila Covington is the founder and Senior Pastor of Crossing Red Sea Ministries in Rockingham, (Richmond County) NC since 2008. Additionally, she is a certified Christian Life Coach, Pastoral Care counselor.

Food security is an essential part of her outreach ministry. For this reason, Ram in the Bush Food Pantry started in the spring of 2008. This outreach helps those unable to afford a holiday meal. Ram in the Bush Food Pantry now feeds several families once monthly. As Pastor, she saw a need for youth mentoring and empowerment. As a result, in the summer of 2015, she initiated an annual summer youth book club, exposing them to many genres of African American authors. The reading program continues to manifest successful outcomes. With an earnest desire to encourage young students to become successful in life, she developed an annual scholarship program for college-bound students, which is given through Crossing Red Sea Ministries.

Currently, serving as president of the Ministers’ Conference of Winston Salem and Vicinity, Pastor Covington has been very active and instrumental in restorative social justice and food justice. She takes community transformation seriously, and she is not afraid of challenging the mindset and belief systems that affect our people. Some of the most recent efforts she helped lead, in collaboration with Love Out Loud, Union Baptist Church, First Presbytarian Church, Second Harvest, Don Flow and the City of Winston Salem are the Meals Distribution and Mask the City projects. As a FaithHealth Connector (Wake Forest Baptist Health Center), she organizes and builds relationships with the community at the grassroots level to help connect them with the resources they need.

Tembila Covington is the Executive Administrative Assistant at Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods and serves on many boards. Such as:

She serves as a board member with:

• AHIE, Inc. (Aim Higher In Education)

• H.O.P.E. of Winston-Salem (Helping Our People Eat)

• Urban Food Policy Council (City of W.S.)

• Smart Start of Forsyth County (N.C.)

She was employed for 22 years as a store manager for Walmart Stores, Inc. and the proud mother of one daughter, Shani Paige Nicholson. Pastor Tembila Covington is a servant leader dedicated to the cause of serving in the body of Christ to all people.