The Reverend David E. Hardy
Biography
PASTOR DAVID HARDY, A NATIVE OF NORTH CAROLINA, IS A GRADUATE OF LENOIR RHYNE COLLEGE IN HICKORY, NC, AND A GRADUATE OF WATERLOO LUTHERAN SEMINARY IN WATERLOO, ONTARIO, CANADA. UPON BEING ORDAINED BY THE NC SYNOD, PASTOR HARDY CHOSE TO START HIS MINISTRY AT TRINITY LUTHERAN IN ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND, THE MOST EASTERLY LUTHERAN PARISH IN NORTH AMERICA. HIS SECOND CALL, WHERE HE SERVED MORE THAN 10 YEARS, WAS TO ZION LUTHERAN IN SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO.
FROM 1987 THROUGH 1997, PASTOR HARDY WORKED IN THE INERNATIONAL SETTING AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR CANADIAN LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF IN WINNIPEG MANITOBA. IT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO DIRECT ALL THE THIRD WORLD EMERGENCY RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT WORK FOR THE LUTHERAN CHURCHES OF CANADA. HE HAS TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN THIS CAPACITY AND HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY THE LIVES OF MANY. FOR HIS WORK, THE UNITED EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCHES OF INDIA HONORED HIM WITH THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF DIVINITY. IN 1996, DR. HARDY ALSO LIVED FOR SIX WEEKS IN EAST JERUSALEM, THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHILE ON A SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT FOR THE LUTEHRAN WORLD FEDERATION. WHILE LIVING IN WINNIPEG, PASTOR ALSO SERVED AS INTERIM PASTOR OF ST. LUKE’S FROM JANUARY 1997 UNTIL HIS CALL TO ATLANTA.
IN MARCH 1997, PASTOR RECEIVED A CALL TO SERVE ST. MATTHEW LUTHERAN CHURCH IN ATLANTA, GA AND BEGAN SERVING IN MAY OF THAT YEAR UNTIL PRESENT, 20 YEARS AGO. HE BEGAN TALKS TO MERGE ST. MATTHEW AND ST. MICHAEL CONGREGATIONS AND LATER THEN NEW LIVING GRACE LUTHEAN CONGREGATION BOUGHT PROPERTY IN TUCKER AND BUILT THE CHURCH WE NOW WORSHIP IN, 11 YEARS AGO.
PASTOR HARDY HAS SERVED THE CHURCH IN VARIOUS ELECTED AND APPOINTED POSITIONS AND HAS BEEN A CONSULTANT TO THE LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION. HE HAS ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY WORK, TWICE HAVING BEEN NAMED A VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR. HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LUTHERAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA.
IN HIS LEISURE TIME, GOLFING IS A SPORT WHICH HE ENJOYS, IS AN INVETERATE COLLECTOR, ENJOYS READING EXTENSIVELY, AND WITH HIS WIFE, COOKING. HE AND MARLENE ARE RECENTLY BACK FROM A TRIP TO CANADA WHERE THEY VISITED IN WINNIPEG AND SAULT STE. MARIE AND WORSHIPPED IN FORMER CHURCHES.
PASTOR HARDY AND MARLENE ARE PARENTS OF ALLISON (JAMES COMBEE), KATHRYN (CHRIS CASTRO) MATTHEW (JODIE) AND MICHAEL, AND PASTOR IS THE DEARLY LOVED “GAGEE” TO JAMIE, AARON AND JONATHAN COMBEE AND SOPHIA AND JAXXON HARDY.
