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.

Gen Synod #3: It’s Monday and I’m Tired

Posted on July 3, 2017 by smaxreisert

Although I enjoyed a slightly slower morning yesterday (Sunday), things started to pick up in the afternoon and—except for an all-too-short time for sleep last night—things have continued to move, even though most of the time I’m sitting. Sunday afternoon’s … Continue reading →

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General Synod, Day 2: Some Good, Some Really Good, and Some Really, Really Bad

Posted on July 2, 2017 by smaxreisert

It’s Sunday morning, the beginning of Day 3 of General Synod. But, the day hasn’t really started yet, so I’ll focus on Friday night and Saturday. After finishing Friday’s post, early in the evening, I attended the meeting of the … Continue reading →

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United Church of Christ General Synod 2017– Day One

Posted on July 1, 2017 by smaxreisert

It’s Day One of the United Church of Christ General Synod, gathering in Baltimore, MD. A long, string of words pop into my head as I think about this day. Most of those words have something to do with the … Continue reading →

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The Strong, But Dangerous, Allure of Denial

Posted on June 27, 2017 by smaxreisert

At Old South, I’ve started talking to the leadership team about beginning to discuss the process (just the process and not yet the content) of considering the future of Old South. How should we talk about, consider, make decisions about … Continue reading →

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The Great Commission in the Old Mainline

Posted on June 16, 2017 by smaxreisert

This past Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost aka “Trinity Sunday,” we at Old South focused on the lectionary passage from Matthew—The Great Commission, “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” and “I’ll be with you until the end … Continue reading →

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What Is Church For? Part 2

Posted on June 6, 2017 by smaxreisert

During a recent “faith story” (children’s message) during worship, I talked about the significance of various people in our church and in our worship life at Old South. We began with the “here is the church, here is the steeple” … Continue reading →

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Old and New, and the Problem of Judgment

Posted on May 25, 2017 by smaxreisert

I recently attended a lecture given by Diana Butler Bass. In her remarks, she talked about the “old” way of doing church—living out and expressing the Christian faith (which is the way that the Church has been Church for a … Continue reading →

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A Mothers Day Approach to God

Posted on May 17, 2017 by smaxreisert

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, … Continue reading →

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What Is Church For?

Posted on May 8, 2017 by smaxreisert

It’s been an interesting week in the office of Old South, with two particular occasions that got me thinking, once again, about the church and its purpose in these days. The first occasion involved a visitor, whose presence was announced … Continue reading →

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Church, Women and a Young Evangelist

Posted on April 28, 2017 by smaxreisert

My seventeen-year-old son, mostly a reluctant church-goer, is very good friends with a teenage boy who is not a reluctant church goer, but instead an eager one. This friend attends a local Southern Baptist church (though it is not at … Continue reading →

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