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.

This Writing Life

Posted on November 8, 2015 by smaxreisert

I spent last week at a clergy writing workshop, along with eleven other participants and a leader. It was an amazing gift to spend considerable time away from the usual routine of work and family and to engage in all … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc, My Life as Pastor | 1 Comment

Do I Hear the Fat Lady Singing?

Posted on November 2, 2015 by smaxreisert

In my last post, I wrote about a sermon that I wished had been preached at the recent Maine Conference United Church of Christ Annual Meeting—but was not. The scripture was Sarah laughing at the prospect of having a child … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Doomed, My Life as Pastor | Leave a comment

New Life In the Midst of Old People?

Posted on October 23, 2015 by smaxreisert

Attend a large gathering of the Maine United Church of Christ, like the Conference Annual Meeting, and one sees a lot of gray hair. In addition, there are quite a few heads with little or no hair at all, as … Continue reading →

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You Can’t Control Your Own Resurrection

Posted on October 13, 2015 by smaxreisert

Gaze upon the current reading lists of pastors of old, struggling mainline churches, and you are likely to find books about church vitality, church growth, and the changing outlook and circumstances of the Christian Church in the twenty-first century. These … Continue reading →

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The Unexpected Consequences of New Life

Posted on October 3, 2015 by smaxreisert

I spend a fair amount of my time as a pastor thinking about the significant challenges of being church in the middle of Maine in the 21st century, while also considering what it means to lead a local church in … Continue reading →

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In the News: Religion in American Public Life

Posted on September 26, 2015 by smaxreisert

Religion looms large in the news right now. The Pope’s visit, of course, offers a lot to think about and talk about. And, there’s presidential candidate Ben Carson’s comment regarding whether or not a Muslim should be elected president, ultimately … Continue reading →

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The Younger People Problem

Posted on September 17, 2015 by smaxreisert

Old South is an older congregation. Average age is probably somewhere in the low 70s. Like other congregations of its age and size, there is a general sense of fretfulness about our circumstances. How long will we be able to … Continue reading →

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Let Go, But Hang On

Posted on September 11, 2015 by smaxreisert

It’s back to school time and time, in our household, to settle into a new routine. Our daughter is off at college, for her first year. Our son is a sophomore in high school.   And, my husband is getting back … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc, Worship | Leave a comment

Where Have All the Organists Gone?

Posted on September 5, 2015 by smaxreisert

At Old South, we are in search of a new organist/choir director. Our search is now several months old. In the first round, we had only a few applicants and only two that we thought were good candidates for Old … Continue reading →

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A Partially Unwrapped Gift

Posted on August 29, 2015 by smaxreisert

I don’t remember who suggested it first. It was at a church budget meeting, a few years ago, and we were analyzing the church budget, trying to figure out what we could cut or trim at a time when it … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc, On the Hopeful Side | Leave a comment