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.

Guns, Violence and Church

Posted on November 11, 2017 by smaxreisert

Last Sunday, on a gloomy and gray afternoon, we gathered from a wide swath of Maine, representing various United Church of Christ congregations along the Kennbec Valley and the northwestern part of the state, up to the Canadian border. We … Continue reading →

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The Reformation at 500: Are We Reformers or Protesters?

Posted on October 28, 2017 by smaxreisert

For its 500th anniversary, the Reformation has been receiving a lot of attention—in the media (even The New Yorker, see “The Hammer” in the current, October 30, 2017 edition); in denominations; and, in local churches. Of course, the moment 500 … Continue reading →

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Me Too, and the Church

Posted on October 19, 2017 by smaxreisert

In the wake of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein—yet another powerful man accused of sexual harassment and/or assault—women have lit up social media with their “me too” stories. When I first heard about Me Too, I couldn’t help but wonder … Continue reading →

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I Can’t Throw and Catch at the Same Time

Posted on September 30, 2017 by smaxreisert

When the New England Patriots lost Super Bowl 46 to the New York Giants in 2012, Gisele Bundchen, supermodel and wife of the Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, angrily assessed the reason for the loss: “My husband cannot [expletive] throw the … Continue reading →

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Come Sunday Morning

Posted on September 18, 2017 by smaxreisert

It’s an oft heard lament of good church folk that there are too many things going on on Sunday mornings, things that get in the way of people going to church. Over the years, I’ve heard more than my share … Continue reading →

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What’s In a Name?

Posted on September 9, 2017 by smaxreisert

A few weeks ago, when my husband and I traveled down to Boston to pick up our daughter at Logan airport, I noticed a very large sign on a Roman Catholic Church along the way, in Revere. I’ve been noticing … Continue reading →

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A Different Sort of Eclipse

Posted on August 25, 2017 by smaxreisert

I took a short break from my vacation last Sunday to lead worship at Old South. When I told the church secretary a few weeks ago that she could call off the supply search (for the first time in a … Continue reading →

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Vacationing in Vacationland

Posted on August 19, 2017 by smaxreisert

There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and I will get to that in a few days, but right now I’m on vacation.  For the first time in many years,  my vacation has been spent almost entirely … Continue reading →

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Where’s Christ in the United Church of Christ?

Posted on August 5, 2017 by smaxreisert

I recently attended a funeral (actually, a “memorial service”) at a United Church of Christ church not far from my own church. The service was for a woman I had known fairly well, a woman who was a very active … Continue reading →

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Being a Weed in a World Full of Roundup

Posted on July 29, 2017 by smaxreisert

After a weekend off, I’m back in the pulpit this Sunday. I’ll be preaching from the lectionary Gospel passage, the series of small statements from Matthew regarding what the kingdom of heaven is like—a mustard seed, yeast, etc. I’m quite … Continue reading →

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