The Rev. John Caleb Collins is from Mesa and attended Desert Ridge High School not far from Transfiguration. His family is from Arizona with his tatarabuelos (great-great-grandparents) moving to Bisbee, AZ from Sonora and some born in Clarkdale and Miami. Prior to serving as Rector at the Church of the Transfiguration, Fr. Caleb served as Vicar at St. John’s Church in Bisbee and St. Stephen’s Church in Douglas for more than three years. He had also served as a Transitional Deacon at St. Mark’s Church in Mesa. Fr. Caleb earned his Master’s of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, a Master’s of Arts in Sociology and a Master’s in Liberal Studies from Arizona State University (ASU), and a Bachelor’s of Arts with a major in Political Science, a minor in Spanish, and a minor in Romanian from ASU.
As a priest and pastor, he is passionate about sharing Jesus’ incarnational love by connecting with and relating to people through a non-anxious presence and seeing Christ in each person. Rooted in the inclusive and affirming tradition of The Episcopal Church, Fr. Caleb is committed to evangelism, growing the Church by introducing people to the unconditional and all-encompassing love and redemption of Jesus. Describing his tradition within the worshipping community of the Anglican Communion, Fr Caleb would describe himself as an “open evangelical” in the Broad Church tradition, integrating the best of our high-church ‘Catholic’ and low-church ‘Protestant’ liturgies. Growing up Lutheran and, later, Greek Orthodox, he has a deep appreciation for all of the Western and Eastern traditions of the Church. Fr. Caleb aspires for the Church of the Transfiguration to be a place where Christians of all expressions can seek, find, and experience the Real Presence of Christ at the Lord’s Table.
Having a passion for Chaplaincy, Fr. Caleb worked as a Chaplain Intern and Chaplain Resident at Banner Desert Medical Center and Banner Children’s in Mesa, AZ. As an intern and resident at Banner Desert, he completed three units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). He completed two additional units of CPE with the College of Psychotherapy and Pastoral Supervision (CPSP). Both are affiliates of the Association of Theological Schools which accredits theological institutions in the US and Canada. During some of his time off, Fr. Caleb works as a part-time Chaplain at Phoenix Children’s Hospital to serve the wider community and bring the ministry of the Church to the world.
Along with growing up in Arizona, he has lived in Germany and studied abroad in Spain and Romania. He shares his life with his wonderful family, his parents, John and Juanita, his fiancée, his brother, sister-in-law, and his nephews. He loves spending time with his friends and he has four cuddly cats and two majestic macaws. Fr. Caleb loves movies, especially science-fiction and adventure films, reading, snorkeling, kayaking, and learning new languages.
Father Caleb can be reached by email at transfigurationrector@gmail.com or by phone at 480-980-1981.