Tuba City C&MA Fellowship was started in the late 1970s by Navaho Pastor Rev. Herman Williams. Herman and his wife Fern spent the last 20 plus years of their ministry leading the ministry in Tuba City. Under Herman’s leadership the fellowship was meeting in people’s homes, mainly Herman’s. Herman started the application process for a mission site permit from the tribe in 2000. Due to health reasons Herman retired and left Tuba City in the fall of 2003. In December 2003 Rev. Doug and Cathy Haskins moved to Tuba City to lead the ministry
Rev. Herman and Fern Williams
The fellowship received their Mission permit for land from the Navaho tribe in 2008. The fellowship then purchased in 2009 3 module classrooms from the local high school and had them moved and placed on the land permitted to the fellowship. By 2011 the first building had been converted to be used as a worship center, and electricity was hooked up on the property. In the spring of 2013, the second building was completed with half being used for classroom / fellowship hall and the other half as a kitchen and restrooms. Water and sewer were brought onto the property and connected to the buildings by the end of April 2013.
The third building is completed with office space, storage space and class room.
One of the challenges of doing ministry in Tuba City is the tribe owns all the land. So there are no homes to buy or rent for people coming into town. The hospital and school systems all provide housing for their employees they bring into Tuba City. So the churches have to do the same. In 2007 the South Pacific District of the C&MA donated a single wide trailer to the ministry in Tuba City. They had renovated the trailer, and with the help of a local business, the trailer was moved from Tucson AZ. To Tuba City and set up in a local trailer court. In the fall of 2012 the fellowship moved this trailer onto the land permitted to the fellowship as a parsonage.
Tuba City is one of the largest towns on the Navaho reservation. Tuba City is located in the northwest corner of the Navaho reservation, about 75 miles northeast of Flagstaff AZ, and 80 miles due east from the Grand Canyon. The post office handles mail for about 26,000 people. Tuba City is uniquely placed in that the northwestern end of the Hopi reservation forms the south side of Tuba City. The Paiute‘s also have a small reservation located in and west of the town of Tuba City. The main source of employment in Tuba City is with the local hospital. A 638 hospital meaning it is a private hospital with the federal government as its main client. There are 3 different school systems in Tuba City, a public school, Grey hills boarding school, and a BIA boarding school. Tuba City also has a branch of Dine College, The Navaho nation community college. About 29% of the population according to 2013 statistics lives at or below the poverty level.
