Meet the Staff
Pastor:
Rev. Melinda Baber
Rev. Melinda Baber has been in ministry here in Colorado since 2003. She has led churches and communities throughout Colorado as a pastor, certified spiritual director, and as a hospice and law enforcement chaplain. She felt the Call to fulltime ministry as a teenager, but raising four children took priority. Rev. Baber is a graduate of LeTourneau University in 1988 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies, and with two Master’s degrees from Iliff School of Theology. She has led in the Mountain Sky Conference with gifts and passion for church vitality, preaching, disability justice, interfaith partnerships, cross-cultural ministry, and trauma-informed pastoral care. She stays active by taking long walks with or without her dogs. To recharge both body and spirit, she enjoys playing with babies, amateur photography, lap swimming, and having courageous conversations about things that matter.
Director of Music:
Dixie Lingler
Dixie received a BA in Music Education with a major in Composition and minors in Piano and French horn from Eastern Illinois University. She received her Master of Music Education with an emphasis in Vocal Music and research in how to teach and develop creativity in children from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. Her career began in the music business industry in sales, marketing, and managing teaching studios. She later began teaching in the public school system which brought her to the Denver area. Dixie taught general music in Elementary and vocal music in Middle School and High School. Throughout her life, Dixie has enjoyed performing and entertaining, playing in groups that included orchestras, pop/rock, country, and jazz. She retired from teaching in 2017 to put her efforts into a serious game of golf.
Pianist:
Holly Holverson
Holly joined our music team in October 2021 to provide piano accompaniment for our Chancel Choir. She now shares her amazing keyboard skills for the entire service! Holly has a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with a minor in Theory/Composition from Boise State University. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Northern Colorado. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, she continued her education at Lamont School of Music, University of Denver in the Jazz/Commercial Music Certificate Program. Holly has over 17 years professional experience performing with a myriad of local, national, and international groups. She is well-versed in classical, jazz, rhythm and blues, classic rock, as well as Christian music – both traditional and contemporary. We welcome Holly to the Phillips family!
