Pastor Terry Buckman
Commissioned Lay Pastor
In Terry’s nearly 30 years in the high-tech manufacturing and engineering environment, he held mostly leadership positions. During that time, he learned that caring for and helping people to find talents and sharing a vision are important to everyone and critical to the enterprise’s success. Terry also learned that servanthood is the most important element in leadership.
Terry began working in the San Luis Valley of Colorado as pulpit supply in 2009, and was called by the churches in Antonito and La Jara the next year. In these churches he helped improve their studies, Sunday School, and created an environment of service to the local communities, and its people though food banks, special activities at Thanksgiving, an inter-denominational men’s breakfast, after school program for kids, MOPS, jail ministry and others.
Terry and his wife Debbie decided it was time for a warmer climate so they started looking. Terry discovered that the Magdalena Community Church and its sister, the First Presbyterian Church of Socorro, were looking for a new pastor. It was an answer to prayer for both churches as well and Terry and Debbie. In 2019 Terry Buckman was installed as the Commissioned Lay Pastor for both churches.
Marcia Ann Thornton
Clerk, Organist
As Clerk of Session, Marcia is responsible for the general operations of the Magdalena Community Church. She is also a wealth of information on the history of the congregation.
Marcia learned to play the piano as a young child. In high school, she learned to play the organ and became the substitute organist for the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. After retiring to Magdalena, she joined the Magdalena Community Church and was the substitute organist. She has been the full-time organist since 2004.
During our annual Water Canyon worship service with our sister church from Socorro, New Mexico and our brothers and sisters from the Datil Community Church in Datil, NewMexico, Marcia gets a workout. She plays a 1940s vintage portable pump organ. That translates to several miles of walking during the worship service.
Ann Bending
Treasurer, Caretaker
something about Ann