About

Mercy Buckets is a site for thoughts on religion, culture, family life, and other random observations by Robb Harrell.

I’m a husband, father, Lutheran (ELCA) Pastor, and Louisiana ex-pat now residing in Georgia.

I blogged for several years at Idle Ramblings of the LutherPunk. At some point I’ll import most of that stuff over here. Or not.

I’m married and have three awesome kids. My wife is a math teacher in a local Christian school and bakes the best cookies I’ve ever eaten. Our oldest son is a junior in college, preparing for a career as a computer scientist. He inherited his intellect from his mother. He’s now a Bulldog, which I try not to hold against him. Our daughter is in third grade and thinks the world would be a better place if we danced all the time. Our youngest son is currently in second grade, but wishes that he and I could simply hunt, fish, play video games, or watch Star Wars movies instead of going to school or work.

I heard the call to ministry while pursuing a BA in History at The University of Florida. After graduation, I did a year of post-grad work at the Department of Religion. After that year, I relocated to Atlanta where I studied theology at Emory University, earning a Master of Divinity. I satisfied my ordination requirements at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. I was ordained at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cumming, GA, on May 1, 2005, where I served as associate pastor after serving three years on that staff as a pastoral assistant. In 2013, I completed a Doctor of Ministry at Columbia Theological Seminary, with an emphasis in Christian Spirituality.  I have served as pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church since 2007.

In case you were curious, the name Mercy Buckets comes from a Drive-By Truckers song.

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Some boilerplate CYA sort of stuff:

I only speak for me. Not the ELCA, not the Southeastern Synod, and not the church I currently serve. Just me. – RH