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.

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Let’s Get Real

Posted on May 28, 2014 by smaxreisert

I serve on a small team examining and considering possible new models of governance and staffing for the Maine Conference. We’ve been meeting regularly since last summer, wrestling with a variety of issues, working with a consultant, and finally coming … Continue reading →

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I Don’t Feel That Funny

Posted on May 22, 2014 by smaxreisert

One of my favorite television shows is, or was, Modern Family. It makes me laugh, and that’s especially important on Wednesday evenings when I return home after a church meeting. Last night, though, I may have come to the end … Continue reading →

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Uneasiness at the Graveside

Posted on May 12, 2014 by smaxreisert

It happened again. I was asked to officiate at an internment for someone associated with Old South (it’s not uncommon, in this cold climate, that people who pass away in the winter months are not buried until spring, months after … Continue reading →

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Lessons from the College Tour

Posted on May 3, 2014 by smaxreisert

I recently returned from an almost weeklong college visiting tour with my seventeen-year-old daughter, who is currently a high school junior. Our tour took us from our home in Maine to Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York. If this blog … Continue reading →

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Has Music Become a Problem?

Posted on April 20, 2014 by smaxreisert

In the week or two before Easter, Old South receives at least a few phone calls or emails that ask about whether or not our bell choir will be “performing” on Easter Sunday. No one ever calls and asks about … Continue reading →

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Speaking of Preaching, Or Not

Posted on April 12, 2014 by smaxreisert

In this holy season of Lent, when we should be focused on a prayerful and thoughtful approach to our faith, when we should have the courage to examine our faithfulness, I find myself in a difficult place. For the first … Continue reading →

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