Meet Our Staff

Rev. Inga Oyan Longbrake

Pastor

Pastor Inga is a South Dakota native who grew up in a small Lutheran church, where she first experienced a theology of grace. She received her Master of Divinity from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver in 2001. She also spent a little time at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa to complete her “Lutheran year” of study. After internship in in Limon, Colorado, at Zion Lutheran, her first call was to be Associate Pastor at Lutheran Church of Hope in Broomfield, Colorado, where she spent three years. Pastor Inga then served as the pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora for the ten years before coming to Messiah.

She has a passion for gospel proclamation, creative ministry, and taking on the challenge of being church in new ways for this new time. She has been the Pastor at Messiah since the Fall of 2018.

Pastor Inga and her husband Wil have a daughter named Lucy and a dog named Charlie Brown (yes, unintentionally starting a Peanuts gang of their very own).

Richard Sims-Herrick

Director of Music Ministries

Richard came to Messiah in 2022 as a recently retired band teacher who continues to teach private lessons. Alongside his vocation as a teacher in the school system, Rich has long served the Church in several settings – as a music director, bell choir director, children’s choir director, organist, pianist, and more.

Originally from South Dakota, Rich and his husband, Morice, live in Broomfield with their family.

We feel truly fortunate to have Rich as part of the Messiah team and community. He has a gift for inviting and incorporating all kinds of voices and instruments into music ministry. He directs our choir, accompanies our worship on piano and organ, and coordinates all kinds of other musicians into our worship life. If you have an interest in being involved in any way, don’t hesitate to reach out to him!

Karen Romer

Office Coordinator

At the beginning of 2022, we joined in partnership with Epiphany Lutheran Church (Washington Park neighborhood) to bring on a shared Office Coordinator. Karen staffs the Messiah office three days a week, coordinating communications and working with our building partners in addition to the usual office tasks.

Karen’s background is in marketing and business writing. She is the leader of a Junior Girl Scout troop and enjoys helping the girls develop business and leadership skills, build lasting friendships and go on adventures.

Originally from the Florida panhandle, Karen lives in Denver with her husband, Jeremy, and two daughters. She enjoys hiking, gardening, walking her two dogs, reading, and skiing.