The Unfinished Church with Rev. Nancy Dolan

The Unfinished Church with Rev. Nancy Dolan

From The Last Service Podcast by Last Service Solutions, LLC

December 6, 2025 · 1h 6m · Episode 35

About this episode

Rev. Nancy Dolan shares her journey of guiding a declining church towards closure with hope and spiritual insight.

In this episode of The Last Service Podcast, Matt sits down with Rev. Nancy Dolan, a Presbyterian pastor with 20+ years of corporate HR/organizational development experience, to walk through the remarkable and deeply pastoral journey of helping Kirk of the Lakes—a once-thriving suburban congregation—discern its future with honesty, courage, and hope. Nancy tells the full story: from the church’s suburban boom in the 1960s, to its relationally rich glory days in the 70s and 80s, through decades of decline, and finally to its faithful and spiritually grounded decision to close. Through it all, she models how pastoral presence, deep listening, and a relentless attentiveness to God’s activity can shepherd a congregation through some of its most tender moments. Whether you’re a pastor, denominational leader, or lay elder navigating transition, this episode offers both practical guidance and spiritual encouragement. 3 Key Takeaways 1. The Relentless Pursuit of What God Is Doing Nancy approached a conflicted, anxious congregation with open hands, listening deeply and consistently asking, “What is God doing here?” This posture kept discipleship at the center of every decision the Church…

People in this episode

Host: Matt

Guest: Rev Nancy Dolan

Topics covered

  • church transition
  • pastoral care
  • congregational decline
  • spiritual guidance

Keywords

  • Presbyterian
  • Kirk of the Lakes
  • HR experience
  • listening
  • God's activity

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Last Service Podcast, Scripture

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