Category Archives: Bible

Lent 2022, The Women Around Jesus: Mary of Bethany

Posted on April 13, 2022 by smaxreisert

From a sermon given at Old South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Hallowell, Maine. Scripture: John 12:1-8, Luke 10:38-42 (with reference to John 11 as well) My name is Mary and I was a friend of Jesus.  I’d like … Continue reading →

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Lent 2022, The Women Around Jesus: Martha

Posted on April 6, 2022 by smaxreisert

Adapted from a sermon preached at Old South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Hallowell, Maine, March 20, 2022. Scripture:  John 11:1-27; Luke 10:38-42 When I was a student at Harvard Divinity School in the early 1990s, I took a … Continue reading →

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Get Outside and Look Up

Posted on June 18, 2019 by smaxreisert

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the star that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” Psalm 8 This small … Continue reading →

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The Use and Abuse of the Bible

Posted on May 26, 2018 by smaxreisert

The New York Times recently reported that, at a rural Oregon high school, LGBT students were assigned certain Bible readings when they got into trouble. [“L.G.B.T Students in Oregon Were Bullied and Forced to Read Bible, Report Says,” May 16, … Continue reading →

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Me Too, and the Church

Posted on October 19, 2017 by smaxreisert

In the wake of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein—yet another powerful man accused of sexual harassment and/or assault—women have lit up social media with their “me too” stories. When I first heard about Me Too, I couldn’t help but wonder … Continue reading →

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An Expectant People

Posted on December 16, 2016 by smaxreisert

One of my favorite parts of Advent is the annual visit with the two pregnant women, Mary and Elizabeth. Although the lectionary often curtails that section of Luke, reducing it to Mary’s Song of Praise, I always include the section … Continue reading →

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Happy Fear and Terror Day!

Posted on March 27, 2016 by smaxreisert

At Old South, we are following the Narrative Lectionary, rather than the Revised Common Lectionary, which means that we’ve been marching our way through the Gospel According to Mark for quite some time. We wrap up Mark today, Easter, with … Continue reading →

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The Peril of Politics and Particular Providence

Posted on February 22, 2016 by smaxreisert

Glenn Beck seems to think that God is so concerned about the United States that He decided to break one of his own “Big Ten” and killed Antonin Scalia, so that Americans would realize “how important their freedom is so … Continue reading →

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Now Is the Season of My Discontent

Posted on December 17, 2015 by smaxreisert

There’s a lot I love about this season, about Advent and Christmas, in the preparation, and waiting, and some of the most interesting and provocative dimensions of faith and the biblical narrative. It’s not easy being a clergyperson at this … Continue reading →

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What Would Mary Want?

Posted on December 11, 2015 by smaxreisert

Confession: On Sunday afternoons, when I finally have a chance to look through the Sunday New York Times, the first place I go is the “Style” section. It’s not that I’m into style, or fashion. I go there for the … Continue reading →

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