Leadership Team

Rev. Christopher Henry
Senior Pastor

Chris Henry, Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, is a gifted preacher, strategic leader, and devoted teacher, working alongside staff and lay leaders to faithfully and courageously guide the congregation. Chris lives out his call to congregational ministry and leads out of his conviction that churches have both the capacity and the mandate to be places of transformation in individual lives, the broader community, and the world. Furthering this vision, he hosts the podcast, Faithful Discourse with Chris Henry, bringing together voices from different professions, backgrounds, and beliefs to explore the intersection of faith and civic life.

Chris is a graduate of Duke University (BA in Religion) and Columbia Theological Seminary (MDiv). He served churches in Atlanta, GA, before his call to Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis in 2018. Chris is married to Rev. Sara Hayden, who serves as Director of Apprenticeships, Residencies and Leadership Cohorts for the 1001 New Worshipping Communities movement of the PC(USA) and hosts the New Way podcast. Sara and Chris met as students at Columbia Seminary and were married in 2008. They are the parents of two sons, Samuel and Benjamin.

Chris loves running long distances, coaching his sons’ sports teams, cheering for Duke basketball, reading biographies and novels, exploring the mountains of Colorado and North Carolina, and spending time with Sara, Sam, and Ben.

Book recommendations: Gilead (Marilynne Robinson), Jayber Crow (Wendell Berry), After Virtue (Alasdair MacIntyre), Telling the Truth (Frederick Buechner)

Rev. Karen L. Lang
Executive Pastor

As Executive Pastor, Karen oversees all pastoral staff and facilitates the ministries of the congregation.

Karen is a graduate of DePauw University and received her masters of divinity from Christian Theological Seminary. 

Karen is married to Richard Baker, who is the senior pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio. Together, they have a blended family of six adult children. 

Karen loves to spend time with family and friends, ride her bike, and drink coffee!

If you would like to schedule time with Karen, please contact Mell Wynne, assistant to the executive pastor.

Martha Nommay, CPA
Director of Finance and Operations

Martha Nommay, CPA, oversees all of the church’s financial operations, including the general fund, designated funds and the endowment fund. She also oversees the Operations Team, consisting of Information Technology, Building and Grounds, Food Services and Communications.

Prior to joining the church staff in July 2006, Martha owned four businesses over 20 years and served as payroll manager at Vanguard Services, Inc. She holds a B.S. degree in accounting from Butler University and has received many accolades, including the 2007 CPA Advocacy Award from the Indiana CPA Society and the 1999 National Woman of Achievement Award and 2001 Indiana Chapter Member of the Year Award from the American Society of Women Accountants. She was appointed as a member of the Indiana State Board of Accountancy by Governor O’Bannon and served six years, two as chairperson.

Scuby Alexander
Director of Facilities Management and Security

Breaford B. (Scuby) Alexander started working at Second in 1996. He is married to Lashanda, who works as a phlebotomist with Mid America Clinical Laboaratory in Carmel, Indiana. Scuby and Lashanda met while in college in Iowa in 1994 and were married at Second Presbyterian Church in 1998. They have two children, Jaylen and Ebony.

Scuby enjoys reading, cooking and rooting for his two favorite football teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Lisa Enright
Director of Mission

Lisa Enright has been named Director of Mission at Second. As Coordinator of Northside Mission, Lisa has guided our food pantry operations and also joined with community partners to address food insecurity and housing issues in Indianapolis. In this new role, Lisa will continue to strengthen relationships with mission partners in our city and beyond as she works with Mission Committee of Session, as well as Community Committee and Christmas with our Northside Neighbors Committee of Deacons.

Lisa is a graduate of Indiana University, where she received a B.S. from the Kelley School of Business. A member of Second Presbyterian Church since 1986, she has served as a Deacon and Elder and chaired Christmas Benevolence and Nominating Committee. She is currently serving as moderator for Presbyterian Women.

Lisa is married to Scott and they have two children, Andy and Gail. She enjoys reading and tennis.

Nancy Frick
Director of Stewardship and Endowment

Dr. Michelle L. Louer
Director of Music and Fine Arts

Michelle L. Louer received the doctoral degree in choral conducting from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, studying under Jan Harrington, Carmen Helena-Téllez and Thomas Dunn. She holds both Master of Music and Master of Divinity degrees from Yale University where she graduated summa cum laude, and a Bachelor of Music in piano and church music, magna cum laude, from Stetson University. In addition, she studied with noted conductors Fiora Contino and Joseph Flummerfelt.

Dr. Louer is in her twelfth year as the Director of Music and Fine Arts at Second Presbyterian Church where she leads a comprehensive program for children and adults, providing vocal and instrumental opportunities for education, ministry, and performance. Dr. Louer conducts the 70-voice Sanctuary Choir and the Beecher Singers (a professional chamber choir) and oversees a talented music staff that directs children and youth music, handbell ensemble, wind ensemble, and a vibrant fine arts area.

She is a former Adjunct Professor of Choral Music at Butler University, and prior to her appointment at Second, served on the faculties of University of Evansville and Oklahoma City University, and as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Kokomo (Indiana) Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for 3 years.

Dr. Louer has led the Sanctuary Choir in annual performances of choral/orchestral masterworks, including Beethoven’s Choral Fantasie with André Watts, J.S. Bach’s Johannes Passion with Alan Bennett (Evangelist), Verdi’s Requiem, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, Poulenc’s Gloria, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

For six seasons, she served as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Chorale Singers of Lafayette, Indiana where she was known for innovative programming of works such as James Whitbourn’s Annelies and a retrospective of the choral music of Leonard Bernstein. In the summer of 2016, Dr. Louer led choral groups on a performance tour through Germany and parts of the Czech Republic. Equally comfortable leading orchestras, she has conducted Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 (“New World”), Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (1919), and in 2018 served as Guest Conductor of the 14th Annual International Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece. Dr. Louer also serves on the Sacred in Opera Committee of National Opera Association.

Rev. Gracie Payne
Associate Pastor for Engagement

Gracie is passionate about encouraging disciples of Jesus as they live out the mission of God for the good of our city and the flourishing of our world. As the Associate Pastor for Engagement, she delights in welcoming folks to Second's community and journeying with them in their discipleship.  

Gracie’s childhood was largely shaped by her passion for ballet which now informs her understanding of the Christian faith as lived out through our bodies in the dance of community. She believes – as followers of a God who took on flesh, moved into the neighborhood, and spread out those arms on the cross to embrace the world – it is our joy and our responsibility to show up for one another, form deep relationships, and join Jesus Christ in healing the world.

Gracie is a graduate of Indiana University (B.A. Communications, English) and Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Gracie previously served as the Associate Pastor of Young Adult Engagement and a Lake Fellow in Parish Ministry at Second, as well as in congregations in Carlisle, PA and Dayton, NJ. She also apprenticed with 1001 New Worshiping Communities, interned at the Office of the General Assembly, and completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Gracie is married to Christian Payne; the couple met while working in Pennsylvania and married in 2017.
Gracie loves returning to the ballet studio, gardening, needlepointing, reading novels and poetry, and going on walks with her husband, Christian, and dog, Xylo.

Book recommendations: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde), Strangers and Pilgrims Once More (Addison Hodges Hart), Being Human (Rowan Williams), Let the Bones Dance (Marcia W. Mount Shoop)

Rev. Michael Samson
Associate Pastor for Adult Faith Formation

Mike has been a pastor for 14 years, serving on staff at congregations in Indiana and New Jersey.  He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. He then completed a post-graduate program at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Theology degree. After graduation, Mike served in the Lake Fellow in Parish Ministry program here at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. Upon completing the Lake Fellow program, Mike was called to serve as Associate Pastor for Congregational Life at the Presbyterian Church in Westfield (PCW), NJ, a 1,400 member congregation in the suburbs of New York City. During his seven years at PCW, a main area of focus was the outreach and welcoming of guests and members into the life and ministry of the church.  

When the Samson family felt a need to be 'back home again in Indiana,’ Mike began serving on an interim basis at Hope United Presbyterian Church, a small congregation in Plainfield, IN.  He was then called as Associate Pastor to Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, in Carmel, IN, focusing more broadly on multiple areas of ministry. 

Prior to seminary, Mike graduated from Radford University with a degree in marketing. Following graduation, he worked in Atlanta for Turner Broadcasting’s World Championship Wrestling in cable affiliate relations, managing the Midwest market. Sensing that the Lord had other things ahead for him, he discerned a call to ministry and continues to be grateful to serve in the body of Christ as a pastor.  Mike considers it a joy and privilege to be in a vocation that allows him to deeply invest in his love for God and people. He loves helping people make deeper connections with God and one another in the church and in all walks of life.  

Mike is married to Kelly Samson, a native of Vincennes, IN. They have two sons, Matthew (10) and Luke (7), as well as a big dog (a 90 pound golden retriever) and a cat. Kelly works as a genetic counselor at IU North and Riley Hospitals and coordinates IU Health’s Kate Cares Stillbirth Assessment Program, which helps families find answers to questions and provides support following devastating losses. In her free time, Kelly enjoys playing tennis and spending time with her family. Matthew is going into fourth grade and loves playing with his friends, riding bikes, music, and using his imagination to build things. Luke is going into second grade and loves playing with his friends, baseball, football, and building things. Matthew and Luke also love playing with each other. 

Mike is a native of Montclair, NJ (a suburb of NYC) and enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, playing guitar and making music, as well as playing various sports. The Samsons are excited and hopeful about becoming a part of the body of Christ at Second Presbyterian Church!

P. Scott Sweet, LCSW, LCAC
Executive Director of CenterPoint Counseling

P. Scott Sweet grew up in Carmel, Indiana, and received his BA from Indiana University majoring in History & Criminal Justice. After working in management for Recreational Equipment Inc (REI) and the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, Scott earned a Master in Social Work (MSW) from Indiana University. Post graduation, he worked for Gallahue Mental Health Services and Ivy Tech Community College. From 2007-2020, he worked as a Mental Health Therapist at CenterPoint Counseling. In 2021, Scott started Insight Counseling Center, where he enjoyed working with adults, adolescents and couples in a home based office. 

Scott is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor (LCAC), a Certified IMAGO Relationship Therapist, Certified Teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and a BrainSpotting therapist. 

Scott strives to be a beacon of hope, offering faith to those in need and illuminating the understanding that each person is radiant light, the energy of God. Scott and his wife, Ann, live in Fishers, Indiana and they are proud parents of two adult daughters

Rev. Madison VanVeelen
Associate Pastor of Care

Madison was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in 2014. She graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, after which time she served as a Lake Fellow in Parish Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church. Upon completing the Lake Fellow program, Madison was called to serve as the Pastor of Clayton Presbyterian Church, a 50-member congregation in rural Hendricks County. In this setting, Madison enjoyed preaching every Sunday, providing care to members of all ages, and learning about the rhythms of life and faith in an agricultural community. During this time, Madison continued serving at Second as the Coordinator of Northside Mission Ministry.

After two years Madison felt called to return to Second in a full-time capacity. Madison’s role in the area of pastoral care evolved until the Spring of 2021 when she joyfully accepted the call to serve as Second’s Associate Pastor for Care.

Prior to seminary, Madison graduated from Florida State University with a dual degree in International Affairs and English Literature. She then served as a PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer for one year in Kerala, India, where she taught English in an elementary school setting and was immersed in the life of the Church of South India.

Madison is deeply grateful to serve in this vocation that, for her, is fundamentally about cultivating relationship with God and others with openness, joy, and curiosity. She has a deep belief in God’s presence with us at all times, and considers it grace from God that we are able to be the body of Christ for one another.

Madison is married to Eric, a kindergarten teacher at New Britton Elementary. Madison and Eric are grateful (and tired!) parents of three young children: Prose, Ellison, and Sage.