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.

Thank You, Ross Douthat

Posted on April 24, 2017 by smaxreisert

Now, there’s a string of words that I never thought I would type, let alone choose as a title for a blog post. But, in an Easter surprise, I find myself in complete agreement with Mr. Douthat, conservative columnist for the … Continue reading →

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In Search of a Different Easter

Posted on April 15, 2017 by smaxreisert

There’s something about the two major Christian holidays that have become, well, something of a drag for me, in my role as pastor of a small church. Easter, especially, has become difficult, in the reality of what I experience at … Continue reading →

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An Unaccustomed Silence

Posted on April 9, 2017 by smaxreisert

Holy Week has begun and for the first time in many years, I feel completely unprepared. Usually, by the time Palm/Passion Sunday (we observe both at Old South) rolls around, I have at least a good idea (in my head, … Continue reading →

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Prayer as Echo Chamber

Posted on April 1, 2017 by smaxreisert

For reasons that are entirely a mystery to me, I receive regular emails from the “Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation.” When the emails started appearing in my busy inbox, I was tempted to figure out a way to unsubscribe—as, by a … Continue reading →

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My Life in Exile

Posted on March 21, 2017 by smaxreisert

Maine can be a challenging place to live, and work, especially for those of us “from away,” and sometimes even more so for those from Massachusetts. Perhaps owing to complications from their past of once being one state, Maine and Massachusetts … Continue reading →

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My Struggle with Public Prayer

Posted on March 11, 2017 by smaxreisert

I serve on the board of a local homeless shelter. We recently developed new program space and hosted a ribbon cutting and open house to celebrate. During the planning of the ribbon cutting ceremony, I sent out to the planning … Continue reading →

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Sorry, Viola Davis, But You Are Wrong

Posted on March 4, 2017 by smaxreisert

During last Sunday’s Academy Awards presentation, Viola Davis won an Oscar for her role in Fences. During her emotional acceptance speech, Ms. Davis declared how glad she is to be an artist because it’s “the only profession that celebrates what … Continue reading →

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An Interesting Time to Be Church

Posted on February 24, 2017 by smaxreisert

It’s an interesting time to be church. With immigration and refugee policies in the news, we can explore and talk about what it means to be neighbor, how the Judeo-Christian tenet of “love thy neighbor as thyself” influences, or not, … Continue reading →

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If Jesus Had Lived in Maine

Posted on February 14, 2017 by smaxreisert

Maine winters are long, and sometimes very challenging. This year, February has roared in with storm after storm. In Central Maine, we got about 8 inches last Thursday, 6 more on Saturday, and then the  “Snowpocalyse” set in. Between Sunday … Continue reading →

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Is the Church Ready for a Comeback?

Posted on February 7, 2017 by smaxreisert

Over the years, I have been known, on occasion, to use the New England Patriots to illustrate important church lessons. Almost every time, I’ve ended up regretting it. While I’m a long-time fan of the Pats, I also recognize that … Continue reading →

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