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.

The Sad State of Religion and American Public Life

Posted on March 1, 2024 by smaxreisert

When I was in Divinity School, way back in the later years of the twentieth century, one of the courses I took was a seminar taught by the then Dean of Harvard Divinity School, Ron Thiemann. The seminar focused on … Continue reading →

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It’s Time to Put Aside the Rose-Colored Glasses

Posted on February 16, 2024 by smaxreisert

In the first church I served, as a student minister and then as the assistant pastor, way back in the early 1990s, I had the chance to experience a fairly wide range of the typical world of the local church … Continue reading →

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Haunted

Posted on January 31, 2024 by smaxreisert

Over the last few years, as Old South has focused on how to move into the future with our shrinking congregation and our stubbornly unshrinking, and demanding, physical plant, people have had a variety of responses to the plans we … Continue reading →

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On to Cincinnati

Posted on January 14, 2024 by smaxreisert

Although my status as a fan of the New England Patriots has waned a bit in recent years (not just because of the excessive losses; the danger associated with playing football is increasingly unsettling), I’ve been a very enthusiastic fan … Continue reading →

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Mary, Her Womb, and Her Choice

Posted on December 23, 2023 by smaxreisert

Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:38 (CEB) For all of my adult life, reproductive rights have been a key component of … Continue reading →

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In the “Words Matter” Department

Posted on December 15, 2023 by smaxreisert

In November, the members of Old South Church in Hallowell, Maine gathered in a congregational meeting and voted to put the church’s sanctuary building up for sale. The church community had spent a great deal of time considering our various issues … Continue reading →

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The Allure and Emptiness of Strength, in the Face of Advent

Posted on November 30, 2023 by smaxreisert

With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, we turn our attention to Advent and Christmas. In the midst this busy time and all of the difficulties this country (and the world) is facing, I (along with a whole lot of other … Continue reading →

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What’s the Word?

Posted on November 11, 2023 by smaxreisert

The members of Old South Church in Hallowell, Maine will gather after worship tomorrow, Sunday, November 12, 2023, to vote on a plan put forward by the governing body of the church to put the sanctuary building up for sale. … Continue reading →

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Way Too Many Names

Posted on October 28, 2023 by smaxreisert

I’m not sure when I started this practice, but whenever there’s a mass shooting, I look for the names of the victims and I read through them. If there’s information on each individual’s life, I read that too. When I … Continue reading →

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Big Questions

Posted on October 17, 2023 by smaxreisert

At last week’s Bible study session, the main topic of conversation revolved around the current worship series (looking for new wisdom in the old stories of the Hebrew Scriptures) and the previous Sunday’s scripture and sermon on the Ten Commandments. … Continue reading →

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