Rev. Leon Bloder

 
 


God is bigger than you & me---the sooner we figure this out the better off we’ll be.


Lots of people claim to speak for Jesus ,but more often than not they end up just speaking for themselves.  If they really read the things that Jesus said, they’d probably have to re-define their definition of what it means to be a christian.


Religion is a poor substitute for a Relationship with God.


God is not a Republican

God is not a Democrat


God hasn’t given up on Creation, and neither should we.  I’m working on living more simply and re-framing what it means to be a good steward of what God has given to me.


If the warring communities from the religious left and the religious right would actually put down their weapons for five minutes, we might be able to show the world what the Kingdom of God looks like.


My understanding of what it means to be a pastor:  A fellow traveler, sometimes a fool, sometimes a sage, a fellow mourner, a peacemaker, a truth-teller, a prophet, a friend, a mystic, a dreamer, a leader, an encourager, a child.


“There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.” - G.K. Chesterton










 

Some things i’ve learned

AGE: 39


FAMILY: 

Married to Merideth Nagel, the most beautiful and fearsome attorney you have ever had the pleasure of  meeting.

I have two sons:  Jay, who is 13 and Jackson, who is 3. 


EDUCATION:


FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, Tallahassee

    Bachelor of Arts in History & English

    Literature


McCORMICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, Chicago

    Masters of Divinity


ORDINATION DATE: 

September, 2005


COOLEST COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: 

Studying Mythology for a semester at Christ College, Oxford England


CURRENTLY SERVING: 

As Pastor and Head of Staff at the First Presbyterian Church of Eustis, FLorida www.fpceustis.com


FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: 

Reading, Watching Movies, Playing Golf, Traveling with My Wife, Coaching My Son’s Basketball Team, Creating Things on My Mac, Discovering and Listening to New Music, Watching Football


FAVORITE BOOKS: 

“A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole; “Blue Like Jazz” by Donald Miller; “Traveling Mercies” by Anne Lamott, “Messy Spirituality” by Mike Yaconelli; “A Generous Orthodoxy” by Brian McClaren; “Naked” by David Sedaris; The “Harry Potter” series, “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis; “In the Name of Jesus” by Henri Nouwen


DESERT ISLAND ALBUMS: 

“A Collision” by The David Crowder Band

“Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zeppelin

“The Wall” by Pink Floyd

“Greatest Hits I & II” by Neil Diamond

“Dylan” by Bob Dylan

“Mockingbird” by Derek Webb

“Complete Clapton” by Eric Clapton

“Classic Queen” by Queen

“The Platinum Collection” by David Bowie

“American Idiot” by Green Day

“The Essential” by Jars of Clay


FAVORITE MOVIES:

  1. 1.Godfather 2

  2. 2.Godfather 1

  3. 3.Apocalypse Now

  4. 4.Full Metal Jacket

  5. 5.Goodfellas

  6. 6.Casino

  7. 7.Gladiator

  8. 8.Braveheart

  9. 9.The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

  10. 10.Best In Show

  11. 11.The Royal Tennanbaums

  12. 12.Waiting for Guffman

  13. 13.Juno

  14. 14.The Road to Perdition


FAVORITE TEAMS

Denver Broncos - I’m such a big fan that I actually went to Canton, OH to see John Elway inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame


Florida State Seminoles - My alma mater...2 National Championships for Football, but now fallen on hard times.  Sigh.


Chicago Cubs - I became a fan when I lived in Chi-town, and now I am hoping for a miracle this year...or maybe next year. 





               

          






          

Click Here to visit my Facebook page and a group for the Tijuana Mission Trip I co-lead each year.