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.

Advent Lessons from the Pregnant Women

Posted on December 3, 2014 by smaxreisert

Although it’s a crazy, busy time of year, I love Advent. I love it for all of its wondrous, yet not quite realized, images of anticipation, waiting, pregnancy and birth. Christianity has never fully embraced these concepts, probably because so … Continue reading →

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A Few Thoughts on Ferguson

Posted on November 26, 2014 by smaxreisert

As I watched the “Breaking News” Monday night, and listened to the long introduction that offered increasingly obvious clues that the grand jury had voted not to indict the white police officer, Darren Wilson, in the shooting death of the … Continue reading →

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Letting Go of the Olive in Us

Posted on November 22, 2014 by smaxreisert

I reluctantly watched the HBO miniseries, Olive Kitteridge. The book on which the series is based is one of my favorite books. I have such a distinct image of Olive in my head, I didn’t know if I could deal … Continue reading →

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What Does It Mean to Call a Church a Success?

Posted on November 18, 2014 by smaxreisert

In the Maine Conference United Church of Christ, I serve not only a local church, but I’ve also served at the regional and state levels. Over the years, I’ve been involved in and have witnessed some very interesting, and sometimes … Continue reading →

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Leaning In, Church Style

Posted on November 8, 2014 by smaxreisert

A long time parishioner came by to visit me in my office a few days ago. He wanted to share some complaints with me and to let me know that, though he likes me personally, he is frustrated by some … Continue reading →

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The Impossible Job

Posted on November 1, 2014 by smaxreisert

I can’t say that I wasn’t warned. It shouldn’t surprise me that my job is starting to feel like an impossible job. I grew up with parents who were champion church complainers. There was hardly anything that the minister did … Continue reading →

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The Church of the Reluctant Evangelists

Posted on October 19, 2014 by smaxreisert

Visitors to worship at Old South will generally find a warm and friendly group of people. Most Old South folk are eager to greet new people, to invite them to coffee, and to talk to them about the church. There … Continue reading →

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To Be Among the Least

Posted on October 10, 2014 by smaxreisert

Maine isn’t good at a lot of things. We don’t go to church (according to the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, Maine has one of the lowest rates of church attendance). We aren’t business friendly (according to Forbes). … Continue reading →

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What’s Your Status?

Posted on October 4, 2014 by smaxreisert

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the efforts that Old South—the church I serve in Central Maine—has engaged in order to support and encourage new members and friends. I’ve especially been thinking about the time I’ve spent with new … Continue reading →

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The Church Without Its People

Posted on September 27, 2014 by smaxreisert

In worship last Sunday morning, we had 35 people—a little lower than average for this time of year, but about average for the past several weeks. In the afternoon, though, we had more than a couple of hundred people in … Continue reading →

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