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.

When the Small Church Shines

Posted on August 11, 2016 by smaxreisert

[Note:  I’ll be on vacation for the next couple of weeks and will take a brief break from this blog.] For the small church, it’s easy to get caught up in worries. Parishioners are fretful about the future, about our … Continue reading →

Posted in Worship | Leave a comment

When the Bible Gets in the Way

Posted on August 9, 2016 by smaxreisert

During a recent trip to the grocery store, I bumped into a former parishioner from a former church. I had not seen the man in many years, but I had heard long ago that he, along with his family, had … Continue reading →

Posted in Other Denominations/Christians | Leave a comment

The Significance of Saying Good-bye

Posted on August 1, 2016 by smaxreisert

At Old South, we seem to say good-bye a lot. Occasionally, it’s in the form of a funeral. But, more often, it’s because a person (or a couple or a family) is moving. Most people are nice enough to inform … Continue reading →

Posted in My Life as Pastor | Leave a comment

The Dismay of Convention Season—2016

Posted on July 23, 2016 by smaxreisert

Perhaps because I am part of a fairly well-known (locally) dual political party couple, I occasionally receive the odd, whispered confession. Usually it is from a woman, who wants (or needs?) to share with someone that she’s not a Republican, … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc | Leave a comment

Lessons on Race at Divinity Hall

Posted on July 13, 2016 by smaxreisert

“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view […] … Continue reading →

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Weddings and Church Buildings

Posted on July 7, 2016 by smaxreisert

Those who know me well know that I’m not a big fan of weddings, especially when I’m the one presiding over the event. I find that there’s usually too much emphasis on the “show,” and not so much on the … Continue reading →

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Posted on June 28, 2016 by smaxreisert

During my annual visit to the doctor’s office not long ago, I was asked if I had any interest in getting connected with their new online “patient portal.” Sure, I told them. When I finally went to check it out, … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc, My Life as Pastor | Leave a comment

After Orlando

Posted on June 18, 2016 by smaxreisert

I’ve been experiencing a sort of numbness this past week—a weariness, lurking around the edges of despair. When I heard about the shootings in Orlando last Sunday, and then the number of people killed, I felt outrage and horror. Before … Continue reading →

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Agenda for the Last Day

Posted on June 11, 2016 by smaxreisert

It’s almost impossible these days to ignore the undercurrent of worry and concern at Old South, especially on Sunday mornings as we wonder how many people will join us for worship. The numbers keep going down. After a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Doomed, Studies, Demographics, Reality | Leave a comment

Nick Kristof Could Be Writing About the United Church of Christ

Posted on June 2, 2016 by smaxreisert

Over the last few weeks, Nick Kristof has written at least twice in the New York Times about the lack of ideological diversity on college and university campuses in the United States. Most colleges and universities seem to place diversity … Continue reading →

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