Author Archives: smaxreisert

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About smaxreisert

I'm a United Church of Christ pastor serving the small, faithful Old South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Hallowell, Maine. I was ordained in Massachusetts in 1995, moved to Maine in 1997 and have served the Hallowell church since 2005.

Vacation!

Posted on June 18, 2019 by smaxreisert

My husband and I are off to Scotland for almost three weeks to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.   If you would like to see what we are up to: Susan and Joe Scotland 2019

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Get Outside and Look Up

Posted on June 18, 2019 by smaxreisert

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the star that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” Psalm 8 This small … Continue reading →

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None Mother

Posted on June 14, 2019 by smaxreisert

My daughter recently graduated from college. During the graduation ceremony, the senior class speaker offered a rather confusing, rambling speech interjected with giggles (she seemed very nervous). Given the prestige of this particular college, I was a little taken aback … Continue reading →

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Understanding the Limits of Welcome

Posted on May 23, 2019 by smaxreisert

This past Sunday was one of the more bizarre worship experiences I’ve had during my relatively long tenure as pastor and teacher at Old South Church in Hallowell, Maine. Let’s set the scene: The previous Sunday was Children’s Sunday and … Continue reading →

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Old South the Musical or Old South the Opera?

Posted on May 4, 2019 by smaxreisert

Are we comedy or tragedy? One of the most important Sundays on the church calendar for me is the Sunday after Easter. That’s when I get the best sense of the state of the church I’ve served for almost fifteen … Continue reading →

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Where Would We Be Without the Women?

Posted on April 22, 2019 by smaxreisert

Western Christians gathered this past weekend for the most significant of holy days, Easter (Eastern Orthodox Easter is next weekend). For those Christian Churches that follow the Revised Common Lectionary (and many that do not) the Sunday Easter worship service … Continue reading →

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A Church on Fire: A Confession

Posted on April 16, 2019 by smaxreisert

  The scenes from Paris were (and are) startling and heartbreaking. When part of the spire of Notre Dame fell into the huge cauldron of flames, I gasped. It was hard to take it all in from the vantage point … Continue reading →

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The Remarkable Sound of Silence

Posted on April 5, 2019 by smaxreisert

Many years ago, when I was a second year divinity school student trying to figure out what sort of ministry was the right path for me, I took a field education assignment at a local church, after a year spent … Continue reading →

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The Dreaded Funeral and Its Dreadful Portents

Posted on March 22, 2019 by smaxreisert

It doesn’t happen often, thank goodness, and less often than it happened in my first years at Old South: leading a funeral/memorial service for someone I’ve never met. In the almost fifteen years of serving Old South, I occasionally discover … Continue reading →

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In These Difficult Days

Posted on March 4, 2019 by smaxreisert

The news from Christendom these days isn’t good. The seemingly endless parade of revelations from the Roman Catholic Church is heartbreaking and disturbing. The recent signs of serious rifts in the United Methodist Church are also distressing. The Southern Baptists, … Continue reading →

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