About Our Minister in Residence Program
The Community Church does not have a permanent minister. Rather, it has developed a unique program whereby retired clergy from the US are typically invited for a period of two months to lead our worship service on Sundays and assist in the spiritual and other short term needs of the congregation during their stay. We provide round trip transportation between San Miguel and the minister and his/her spouse's closest to home international airport, and we provide an apartment for them to live in while they are here.
Currently we have several ministers who have returned one or more times. Our ministers are ordained in various denominations such as: Presbyterian, United Methodist, ELCA (Lutheran), United Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalian and others.
We are currently accepting inquiries from potential minister-in-residence for 2027. If you are interested, please click on the Contact Tab to send an inquiry for more information.
Our Current & Recent Ministers-in-Residence
The Rev. Dr. Roy Howard
November - December 2025
Roy and Claudia live in North Potomac, Maryland. Roy served as Lead Pastor of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church in nearby North Bethesda, Maryland from 2001-2020. Claudia is a retired school teacher, having taught music to student in Kindergarten to Fifth grade for thirty years, most recently in Gaithersburg, Maryland. She continues teaching piano to students at home. Roy was born in Illinois and traveled with his USAF military family, stationed in Germany and Arkansas before settling in Panama City, Florida. Claudia was born and raised in Scotia, New York. They met at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, where Claudia studied music (BA & MA) and Roy studied Social Work (BA & MSW).
After 32 years in pastoral ministry, Roy began a practice of leadership coaching with clergy and consultation with congregations, through the International Coaching Federation. He recently served as Dean of the Academy of Artful Leadership. Currently, Roy continues his private practice of coaching with clergy and frequently leads leadership retreats with congregational leaders.
Roy served as Book Editor of the Presbyterian Outlook 2008-2019. He is the author of two books, a memoir: Walking in Love: My Journey along the Camino de Santiago, and a collection of sermons: Beyond Forgiveness: The Stories of Jesus
They have two married daughters. Rebecca and Aiden currently live in Grand Junction, Colorado. Rachel and Jorge live in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Claudia and Roy often travel internationally and spend a portion of their summer in Estes Park, Colorado, where Roy also leads an annual pastors’ retreat. Claudia enjoys gardening, teaching piano, reading and walking. Roy volunteers on the board of Hearts with Haiti. He is a avid birder and photographer, as well as reader. They both love the outdoors, and find ways to explore it as often as possible. They are currently active members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church where Roy preaches and teaches.
The Rev. Steve Winkler
Returning for January & February 2026
In early February 2016, Steve retired from his position as Senior Pastor of the Protestant Community Church of Medford Lakes, New Jersey, and Heather “retired” from her volunteer work as an elementary school guidance counselor working with young people from the mean streets of Camden, New Jersey. Three weeks later the Winklers were on their way to San Miguel de Allende. Fast forward eight years, we find ourselves packing for our sixth trip to San Miguel, and a seventh stint as Minister-in-Residence (once, preaching during the pandemic, from our home in Vermont).
Since our last MIR experience, I have had a wonderful opportunity to share a bridge ministry with a colleague, whose 30-year pastorate overlapped the 20 years I was the pastor of South Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. As the Spirit would have it, our work ended with the arrival of a settled pastor on October 13. During this year, Heather immersed herself in volunteer work at the church and throughout the community. And God’s timing for our impending visit seems impeccable.
We could not have anticipated the blessings our time with the Community Church of SMA would be for the two of us! Four parsonages, two worship sites, a fiftieth wedding anniversary, and countless cherished relationships later…Here we come, again!
Steve is an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ. Steve and Heather have been married for 54 years, and have lived and served in S. Royalton, Vermont, and Lima, Ohio, in addition to the aforementioned parishes. They have three children (Jeremiah, Gabriel, and Zoe), and four grandchildren.
The Rev. David Bubb
September - October 2025
David is a retired Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor, having served in active ministry for over 40 years. Kathi has served almost as long as a Certified Christian Educator and is still serving on the Presbytery Commission on Justice, Outreach and Education, which includes working on the board for Presbyterian Campus ministry at Ohio State University. They have served churches together in Montgomery, Ohio; Jackson, Tennessee; Santiago, Chile; and Gahanna, Ohio.
David has a BA from Centre College, Kentucky in Religion and Psychology and a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School. Kathi has a BA from Franklin College, Indiana in American Studies and Religious Studies and a Masters in American Religious History from Indiana University. David grew up attending a Southern Baptist church, attended a Methodist Divinity School and finally settled on being Presbyterian after a two-year stint serving a church in Glasgow, Scotland. Kathi comes from a long line of Presbyterians.
In retirement they continue serving by filling in at churches throughout the Scioto Valley Presbytery and beyond. They especially enjoy traveling (they have been to all fifty US states and six continents), hiking, and taking photos, doing all three together whenever possible.
