Tia Fielder
Tia Fielder was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois. She gave her life to Christ at a young age and has been committed to serving the Lord and His church ever since.
With a heart for service, Tia spent a significant part of her career in non-profit program management and administration. She led programs for agencies like the United Way and YWCA, and she served as a registered lobbyist, advocating for the unhoused at the state and federal level, particularly those living with mental illness.
Tia and Pastor James met while serving together in the Baptist Church. Ironically, they both left the denomination shortly thereafter. He pursued ordination in the United Methodist Church. Tia sought and found a multicultural worship experience in a different denomination.
She became a “Methodist by marriage” when the two wed in 2022. The couple relocated to the Quad Cities in 2023 when Pastor James was appointed as senior pastor of Riverside UMC. Since becoming a United Methodist, Tia has jumped in with both feet, singing in her local church and throughout the conference, preaching and pursuing her lay minister certification, assisting with implementing new technology, serving at the Annual Conference, and now serving as the office manager and contemporary worship leader at Riverside.
In her spare time, Tia enjoys music, movies, travel, and trivia. She and Pastor James share three adult daughters—Najha, Asia, and Mikaela. Both are passionately committed to their callings, but they also share a love for living life to the fullest. So, while the couple would welcome grandkids, they definitely aren’t rushing the process!!