Author Archives: smaxreisert

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.

Perhaps a Little Clue Into Lower Church Attendance

Posted on August 1, 2014 by smaxreisert

The beginning of this post will seem not at all about church life, but bear with me. I’ll get there. My fifteen-year-old son goes to summer camp for seven weeks, and has done so for the last four or five … Continue reading →

When the Meeting Is the Meaning

Posted on July 25, 2014 by smaxreisert

The Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ is in the midst of considering a new governance and staffing model. A “New Dimensions Team,” of which I am part with other clergy and lay people from around the state, … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc | Tagged church meetings, Maine Conference United Church of Christ, Old South Church | Leave a comment

Which Country Do I Belong To?

Posted on July 18, 2014 by smaxreisert

A couple of weeks ago, a columnist for Slate (Reihan Salam) posed the question, “One Nation Divisible? Is America in Danger of Fracturing into Two Countries, One Secular, One Religious?” In his piece, Mr. Salam wondered, “Could America break apart … Continue reading →

Posted in Studies, Demographics, Reality | Tagged Hobby Lobby, Immigration crisis, religious divide, Slate | Leave a comment

Are You Serving Cheese with that Whine?

Posted on July 11, 2014 by smaxreisert

At a lot of church related meetings, with both clergy and lay people, on the local level but especially when more than one church has gathered, I hear a fair amount of whining: Why don’t people go to church anymore? … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc, My Life as Pastor | Tagged Church decline, Clergy, Mainline Church | Leave a comment

Frozen and Freedom

Posted on July 4, 2014 by smaxreisert

I may be the last American to watch Frozen, but I am certainly aware of the frenzy over the animated film and its main song, “Let It Go,” belted out rock anthem-style by Idina Menzel. I’ve now heard the song … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Culture, Movies, TV | Leave a comment

The Folly of Fear

Posted on June 26, 2014 by smaxreisert

Last winter, when Old South was contemplating a new vision for organizing itself, especially its governance, I heard a certain question posed a number of times that asked whether or not other churches had tried such a system. How had … Continue reading →

Posted in Maine Cautionary Tales | Tagged Maine Conference United Church of Christ, mainline Christianity | Leave a comment

In Sheep’s Clothing?

Posted on June 19, 2014 by smaxreisert

In its little corner in the extreme northeast, Maine is, at least in terms of a U.S.-centric point of view, at the “end of the road” or on a “road to nowhere” (apologies to my Canadian friends, just to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Other Denominations/Christians | Tagged Central Maine, Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists | Leave a comment

The Church in Decline: The Southern Baptists Show How Unchristian Christians Can Be

Posted on June 12, 2014 by smaxreisert

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant group in the United States, recently approved a resolution regarding transgender people. In this resolution, Southern Baptists affirmed such things as: “Gender identity should be determined by biological sex and not by one’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Other Denominations/Christians | Tagged Christians, Creation, Gender identity, Genesis, Southern Baptist Convention, transgender people | Leave a comment

The Church of the Sick and Tired, Literally

Posted on June 10, 2014 by smaxreisert

There have been times when, over the course of my almost nine-year relationship with Old South Church, I look out at the congregation on a Sunday morning and I get very close to being overwhelmed when I think about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy-Days | Tagged Old South Church | Leave a comment

School Lesson

Posted on June 3, 2014 by smaxreisert

I live in the city of Waterville, Maine, just west of the mighty Kennebec River. On the other side of the Kennebec is the town of Winslow. These are struggling communities, but once they were not. This is mill country, … Continue reading →

Posted in Maine Cautionary Tales | Tagged Empire Falls, shrinking churches, town of Winslow, Waterville, Waterville High School, Winslow | Leave a comment