The Rev. Nancy Lincoln Reynolds Retires From Pastoral Ministry At Woods Church

Since 2003, the Rev. Nancy Lincoln Reynolds has delivered countless sermons from the pulpit of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, many in her role as associate pastor and some in the role of interim pastor.

On Sunday, February 8, Lincoln Reynolds shared her last message with her church family, marking the beginning of her retirement from pastoral ministry. The day before, she was honored for 23 years of faithful service at Woods with a reception at Chartwell Golf & Country Club.

Yet, at the age of 76, Lincoln Reynolds is not retiring from ministry altogether; she will continue to serve in her role as director of the Woods Counseling and Care Center, doing what she has done for most of her life: practicing psychotherapy.

Originally from Florida, Lincoln Reynolds grew up attending church. Her first memories of having a relationship with God are from early childhood.

“I had heard that the Bible said we are to fear God, and to do whatever the Bible says we’re supposed to do. However, I had a relationship with God outside when I would be playing, and I would talk to God all the time, and I wouldn’t tell anybody because I was learning in church (that) I was supposed to fear God,” she recalled. “One Sunday school lesson explained that fear actually was related to the love of God, and that God was to be seen as the loving being that cared for all of God’s children, and I was so excited I ran home (and) told God, ‘We can be friends now out in the open!’”

Lincoln Reynolds continued to learn about the God of the Bible throughout youth group and at retreats. She ultimately received a scholarship offer to attend Princeton Theological Seminary. Family members’ reactions were less than encouraging.

“My mother’s response was, ‘Thank God, if you don't find someone there, you never will.’ My brother's response was, ‘You can’t do that, you’re a girl.’ But I went, and I was subsequently ordained,” Lincoln Reynolds shared.

During seminary, she was assigned to a psychiatric facility to complete her unit of clinical pastoral education. Lincoln Reynolds was fascinated by peoples’ personalities and fell in love with the work there, which led to a five-year residency in psychotherapy.

The mother of two served a couple of churches as interim pastor, but her primary work followed her passion for psychotherapy, which is what brought her to Woods Church.

The late Rev. Terry Schoener was pastor at the time and had started a pastoral counseling center at the church in 1993. When an associate pastor left Woods, Schoener asked Lincoln Reynolds if she would fill the gap until a replacement was hired. She agreed on the condition that she could continue practicing therapy. It ended up being a long-term commitment; Lincoln Reynolds continued to serve as both associate pastor and director of the counseling and care center until this month.

Reflecting on 23 years of ministry, she found it difficult to highlight just a few significant memories and life lessons.

“I think for me, the most important thing is to go to the people and meet them where they are, rather than expecting them to come to us just because we’re a big church on the hill,” Lincoln Reynolds said, praising the congregation for being faithfully involved in the community around them. “That’s probably one of the things that the members of Woods are best at, is going to meet people where they are, our mission ministry, or youth ministry, all of those.”

While many pastors enjoy officiating weddings, Lincoln Reynolds shared she has felt privileged to officiate funerals.

“I have been saying, if I weren’t a therapist, I couldn't do this work. But I think with the funerals, it’s an opportunity to sit down with families who are grieving, and if there are things they’re worried about or concerned about, it’s not a difficult thing for me to process with them,” she explained. “What a blessing to be with somebody in his or her last days, and then to work with the family and walk through that journey with them.”

Friends with her for over two decades, the Lerarios are one of the many families blessed by Lincoln Reynolds’ care through the loss of a loved one. Tom Lerario served on Woods’ staff with her for 17 years and his wife, Karen, moderates the church’s board of deacons.

“Thank you so much, Lord, for the gift of Nancy,” Karen said, recalling that Lincoln Reynolds has been there for “beginnings and endings” for her family. She not only baptized their granddaughter but also traveled to Washington Hospital Center in D.C. in 2008 to do a service for the dying for Karen’s mother.

“We, the deacons, will carry on her legacy of pastoral care,” Karen stated.

Even though Lincoln Reynolds has asked him to wear themed outfits for stewardship campaigns over the years, Tom has great affection for her as well.

“You think of the (phrase) in the Bible, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ She’s to me – and to Karen, and to most of the people in this church – the epitome of that,” Tom said. “She is probably one of the most kind and giving people. She gives of her time, she gives of her counsel, gives of her love to anybody.”

Lincoln Reynolds not only had an impact on thousands of congregants over the decades, but coworkers at Woods as well. Maureen Adams, who serves as the coordinator for pastoral care, has co-labored with Lincoln Reynolds for 11 years.

“With boundless energy and a servant’s heart, she showed us what it means to love God, love people, and care for all creation,” Adams said of her colleague in ministry.

Lincoln Reynolds is grateful for the many opportunities she has had to put her faith into action throughout her time at Woods – from serving on the county’s clergy advisory committee, to environmental work, to helping launch Parenting for a Different World – and for how God has worked in her life.

“I think the biggest way my faith has grown is … I’ve always known it, but it’s really an action to trust God’s guidance and God’s intervention in things,” she reflected.