Add a logo, a button or social media links
The Reverend Noel Collins grew up in Albuquerque. After many long years in the Chicagoland area and then Pittsburgh, she felt called back home to church plant. Noel is a third generation ordained Anglican. She tried other flavors of church when she went to college at Wheaton, but kept coming back. She ministered for 9 years at a church there, during which time she met Greg and they married in 2008. They went to seminary together at Trinity School for Ministry in 2010. She graduated with an M.Div in 2013 and because she's a huge nerd, did another Masters degree. Their son was born in 2017 and before his 1st birthday, they had moved to Albuquerque.
Noel loves the mountains, reading mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, early church theology books and out loud with her son, making food, playing board and role-playing games, helping out at Hodgin Elementary, coaching, hiking, swimming, dance parties, karaoke, watching hockey (Go Avs!) and obviously, being Burqueña.
The Reverend Greg Pfeifer first visited Albuquerque in 2009. He had his doubts about Balloon Fiesta and his wife's amazement with it. He was enchanted (with Fiesta, Albuquerque, and his wife) and was unsurprised when God called them to start a church there. Greg grew up all over the place in his early life as his dad was in the military. His high school life was spent in the area north of Baltimore, MD. Greg discovered God's great love for him when he was 17 while reading the book of Job. Shortly thereafter, he was told he might have a call to ministry and so went to Moody Bible Institute after a year at Towson (studied choral conducting).
Greg met Noel doing arts ministry, and then they later led youth Bible studies together. It was the start of the ministry they have done together for years. Greg is in addition to a leader at Emmaus, what we affectionately call a "barpriesta". He has worked in many different positions and states for Starbucks for nearly two decades. He loves doing ministry and offering hospitality there.
Greg loves playing Lego with his son, cooking, having people over, playing board games, dungeon mastering, dancing, singing, reading in Biblical studies, listening to various theology podcasts, and exploring nature with the fam.