BJ Leonard

Occupation: Missions pastor at First Christian Church Family: Married to my wife, Mary, of 13 years. We are the parents of Hannah (8), twins Lydia and Mia (6), and Dominic (3).

Career highlights and/or accomplishments:

Since moving to Decatur in 2010, I began expanding the Club 305 after-school program for Parsons Elementary School students, created the free Jumpstart Back-toSchool Clinic that now provides hundreds of free physicals each year, established a system for taking medical mission teams to Kenya, created a community development initiative in the GM Square neighborhood, helped launch the Arts Academy which provides free instruction in the arts, and helped to establish Night to Shine, a prom experience for individuals in our community with special needs. Along with being a pastor and afterschool program director, I also have been an adjunct professor, published several magazine articles, and served on a number of community boards.

I received bachelors and masters degrees from Lincoln Christian University and Fuller Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at The Community involvement: I lead aspects of the Annual WSOY Community Food Drive, am co-director of Night to Shine, lead the Jumpstart Back-to-School Clinic, oversee chaplaincy partnerships at DMH and Crossing Healthcare, provide pastoral leadership at Parsons Elementary School and the Club 305 after school program in partnership with DPS 61 and the One School One Church Initiative, and live with my family on North Church Street in the GM Square Neighborhood.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Williams

From 9 been wonderful to see the revitalization of the Decatur downtown area which helps to attract people to shop and eat. The Devon Amphitheater is a great attraction for people in the immediate, but it brings people from other areas to Macon County to spend their money in our communities.

Continue to promote outdoor activities at the local parks and walking paths. Mount Zion has Fletcher Park and Spitler Woods, which o er a great place to enjoy a nice day outside and exercise.

The village of Mount Zion will be adding a splash pad at Fletcher Park for families to take advantage of.

Decatur is a great community that is able to come together in powerful ways.

What should the community do to attract

more young people to the area: Decatur is a great community that is able to come together in powerful ways. While there are challenges, such as all communities have, there are also opportunities for each of us to invest in the lives of others and make a real di erence. Decatur can attract and retain more young people by prioritizing investment in the next generation.

What would your perfect Saturday be like?

A perfect Saturday would be spent outdoors with family and friends. Who inspires you to be better? Other practitioners, friends, mentors, and my wife.

What are three things most people don’t know about you?

1. I enjoy reading. 2. I enjoy grilling. 3. I do not eat breakfast or snack very often.

What would your perfect Saturday be like?

A hot Saturday in September starting with watching Knox play a fl ag football game. Afterwards, come home and grill some burgers and play pool volleyball.

End the afternoon by grilling a big steak and watch a Notre Dame football game in the evening and play a game of Sorry with my wife and son. Who inspires you to be better? When you have a child or children, you want to set an example for them to learn by.

SARAH JANE PHOTOGRAPHY