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Running the Good Race (Reginald Jones III – 12/16/22 – NCS New Canaan)

December 17, 2022 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment


With incredible humility and authenticity, Reginald “Regg” Jones III shares a unique and fascinating faith, family and life journey that had its faith roots at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Darien, site of an incredible spiritual revival documented in the book The Miracle in Darien by Bob Slosser.

Regg describes growing up with a father who decided to change the trajectory of his family by making time with his children a priority and how Regg came to face the same challenge with his own family. He explains the four “family values” that shaped much of his educational and professional journey and how he came to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord at the tender age of 11.

Jones talks about how his faith grew through the mentorship of others, the struggle he experienced after college in deciding between pursuing a path in “ministry” or “business”, how those mentors helped him choose business, and how he later came to understand that his choice was based on a false dichotomy, learning that both paths constituted “ministry”.

Regg describes his professional path through top firms such as Pepsico, Apple, Bain and Goldman Sachs, and the lessons they taught him about organizational culture. He explains how he learned to carry and share his faith in those environments and how all those lessons about culture and faith eventually helped shape the vision and culture of Greenbriar, the private equity firm he founded in his 30’s.

Regg explains the four pillars of Greenbriar’s unique culture that was born from a vision to take the best of the corporate cultures he had experienced and shape them by his faith, and he describes why he believes “love wins” even in the marketplace.

With remarkable vulnerability, Jones talks about how he navigated the challenges along the way and how God showed up with “kisses from Heaven” to encourage and guide him at just the right times. He describes challenges such as balancing a demanding career with family life, starting a new business in the midst of 9/11, and walking the “thin green line” between success and failure, always trusting in God’s providence.

Finally, Regg explains the vision that inspired his involvement in the founding of Trinity Church Greenwich.

Filed Under: Audio & Video, Uncategorized, Video Tagged With: Audio & Video, Calling and Purpose, Career and Financial Disappointments and Transitions, Chapter Friday, Cultural Change and Engagement, Evangelism, Faith, Father-Son, Fear and Worry, Friendship, Gods Purpose for Business, Great Commandments - Love God - Love Neighbor, Integrating Work into Faith, Leadership, Mentoring and Discipleship, Nature of God, NCS New Canaan, Prayer, Raising Children, Relationships, Serving Others, Transparency and Authenticity

Three Lessons from a Journey with Jesus (Bishop Frank Caggiano – 12/2/22 – NCS New Canaan)

December 2, 2022 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment


With wonderful humor and great humility and authenticity, The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, the Fifth Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Bridgeport, CT, shares the incredible twists and turns of his lifelong faith journey, as well as three lessons learned along the path.

Caggiano describes with tremendous transparency life growing up in a closely-knit Brooklyn community as an Italian-American son of immigrant parents. He talks about his father’s extreme pride when he was accepted into Yale and his father’s heart-wrenching disappointment when he announced he was going to seminary.

Caggiano explains the two calls that have been on his life. First, the call to step up and be a man of faith–letting his life be claimed by Jesus–which he humbly admits is a project still underway. Second, his call to leadership and the challenges in discerning, understanding and finally accepting that call.

With extraordinary vulnerability, Caggiano then shares three life lessons from his faith journey, including the difficult ways in which some were learned:

  • Caggiano tells how, in choosing to pursue his call to the priesthood, he learned that the things you want in life are not always the things you need in life. He describes how he left seminary to pursue the material comfort he wanted, how God gave him everything he wanted in a lucrative business career, how he came to reorient his heart toward the one thing we need–Jesus, and how that reoriented his entire universe to see everything as a blessing.
  • Caggiano shares how, through his stubborn resistance to his call to the priesthood and God’s relentless pursuit, he learned to appreciate God’s gracious love, accept the call as a blessing, and finally surrender to Jesus as his master.
  • Caggiano explains how, through the death of a young priest and the wisdom of a mentor, he learned that his life would not be measured by its length or accomplishments but by the quality of life he shared with others in faithful witness through presence, authenticity and honesty. In sharing that what allows us to persevere is the assurance that the Holy Spirit can give us the courage to be disciples wherever we are and to stand with Christ regardless of what the world says or how it reacts, Caggiano humbly admits that this is a lesson he is still learning.

Bishop Caggiano ends with a wonderful word of encouragement about the blessing and importance of men being able to meet in the spirit of the New Canaan Society–a safe place where men can remove their masks, support each other and share the life lessons learned in our journey with Jesus.

So, let me just end by saying this. You are very blessed to have this gathering. For me, coming as a brother and witnessing what you are–don’t ever take it for granted. There are not many safe spaces where we can gather and drop our masks and be who we are called to be and to share whatever life lessons we have learned in the grace of Jesus Christ. So, I must tell you I am very grateful to have shared this morning with you, and perhaps, if time permits, I may be able to join you not as a speaker but just as a brother in faith.

Following Bishop Caggiano’s talk is an extended Q&A covering topics such as the faith implications of being a Mets fan and the important role of fathers.

Filed Under: Audio & Video, Uncategorized, Video Tagged With: Audio & Video, Calling and Purpose, Career and Financial Disappointments and Transitions, Chapter Friday, Christianity-Theology, Cultural Change and Engagement, Evangelism, Faith, Father-Son, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Great Commission - Make Disciples, Leadership, Mentoring and Discipleship, Nature of God, NCS New Canaan, Prayer, Raising Children, Transparency and Authenticity

The Making of a Christian Lawyer (Joseph Ruta – 10/21/22 – NCS New Canaan)

October 21, 2022 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment


With a wonderful mix of humor and humility, Joseph Ruta shares the fascinating journey that led him from a largely secular upbringing at an Italian family resort in the Catskills to his faith as a follower of Jesus and his profession as a lawyer.

In his unique and entertaining style, Ruta describes with tremendous transparency what it was like growing up in a “very Italian” family that moved from Brooklyn to the Catskills to operate a summer resort during the 1970’s. He vulnerably explains the challenge of going from being the popular social director and emcee at the resort nightclub (at the age of 13) to struggling to fit in and be accepted when the resort closed for the season and school began.

Joe talks about how testifying in court when he was very young planted the desire to become a lawyer, and how the miraculous faith healing of a friend’s father began his exploration of faith. Ruta also shares the details of his own faith awakening (followed by a baptism in the resort pool), and how he came to walk away from his faith–only to return with even greater commitment and passion after a sudden revelation while living in Manhattan.

Ruta tells how his return to faith led him to Times Square Church, where he met his wife. It is a marvelous and funny story of how God can use the most unlikely people and circumstances to guide, shape and equip one of His children.


Below are images of a postcard from the Dellwood resort, showing the Marco Polo Lounge where Joe was the 13-year-old emcee.

Filed Under: Audio & Video, Uncategorized, Video Tagged With: Audio & Video, Calling and Purpose, Chapter Friday, Faith, Father-Son, Healing, Mentoring and Discipleship, Nature of God, NCS New Canaan, Raising Children, Relationships, Salvation, Speak Truth, Spiritual Warfare, Transparency and Authenticity

How God Can Transform Pain into a Gift (Eugene Schneeberg – 6/10/22 – NCS New Canaan)

June 14, 2022 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment


With NCS vulnerability and humor, Eugene Schneeberg shares the 20-year journey to find his father, and he reveals how God can transform our pain into a gift.

Although Schneeberg never did meet get to meet his father, Eugene describes the circuitous path to discovering his father’s identity and meeting his relatives.

Schneeberg also talks about the various Godly men–particularly his father-in-law–that God brought into his life to show him the love of his heavenly Father. Eugene explains how they shaped his ability to be a loving father to his own four children.

Pointing to Genesis 50:20, Schneeberg describes how God transformed his pain to a gift by breaking his heart for the fatherless and for kids in detention and then leading him on an extraordinary journey. In addition to writing a book titled I Never Met My Father: My Journey from Fatherless to Fatherhood, Eugene’s painful past led to:

  • Being appointed by President Barak Obama as the Director of Faith Based Partnerships for the Justice Department.
  • Leading DOJ’s efforts as part of the President Obama’s Responsible Fatherhood Initiative, and the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, which resulted in over $30 million dollars in new grants for Juvenile Justice Involved Young Fathers and an increased focus on Empowering Parents within the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
  • Co-chairing the Obama Administration’s efforts to support and improve outcomes for Children of Incarcerated Parents.
  • Helping lead the Attorney General Eric Holder’s Federal Reentry Council.
  • Helping expand DOJ’s Youth Violence Prevention efforts helping to build the capacity of more than 30 major US Cities to combat youth violence.

Filed Under: Audio & Video, Video Tagged With: Audio & Video, Calling and Purpose, Chapter Friday, Crisis and Adversity, Faith, Father-Son, Mentoring and Discipleship, Nature of God, NCS New Canaan, Prayer, Raising Children, Relationships, Serving Others, Transparency and Authenticity

Navigating the Narrow Gate (Tom Cole – 4/29/22 – NCS New Canaan)

April 29, 2022 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment


With amazing wisdom and humility gained on life’s journey, Tom Cole shares the ups and downs that have allowed God to shape him, as well as the role the New Canaan Society and the friendships he has found in NCS brudders have played in his story. He reveals with tremendous vulnerability how his greatest personal growth came through the hardest moments of life.

From a painful and public divorce to two heart attacks, Tom talks about the importance of his faith in Jesus to his ability to weather difficult storms. He explains how the first heart attack ultimately led to his book “The Narrow Gate: Fatherly Advice for Navigating the Pathway to Your Best Life“. Lying on a hospital gurney not knowing if he was going home to Jesus, Tom shares that the “dominant” thought was he had not poured enough wisdom into his kids.

Tom takes us through a few of the chapters, starting with what he has learned about the source of real joy and happiness–deep relationship with God and others. He explains why money and achievement do not bring happiness.

He also explains the importance of sharing our stories–not only so that others can walk with us through them, but so that we can make a connection with those who need us to walk with them through their stories.

He ties it all back to the core of NCS–growing deeper in friendship with Jesus and friendship with others by “showing up”–“showing up” not for what you can get but because you might be able to impact the life of another man. Tom transparently tells stories of how he has “shown up” for others and how others have “shown up” and walked with him through life’s valleys.

Newly retired from a long and successful career in investment banking, Tom describes navigating the transition to a new season of life. He also explains the importance of being present to the moment, living one day at a time, even as we reflect on the past and plan for the future.

This is God-inspired wisdom for leading a life walking in the Way of Jesus–wisdom from a father to his children, from a brother to his brothers, and from a friend to his friends.

If any man truly wants to be an NCS brudder, he needs to listen to this God-inspired wisdom on what we mean by “showing up”.​

Early in his talk, Tom refers to “a message from our sponsor”. He showed a video produced by Chick-fil-A as an employee training tool. You can watch it below.

Filed Under: Audio & Video, Uncategorized, Video Tagged With: Audio & Video, Career and Financial Disappointments and Transitions, Chapter Friday, Christianity-Theology, Crisis and Adversity, Dealing with Emotions, Divorce, Energy Groups, Faith, Father-Son, Forgiveness, Friendship, Going from Survival-Success to Significance, Great Commandments - Love God - Love Neighbor, Healing, Health Challenges and Losses, Leadership, Marriage, Mentoring and Discipleship, Nature of God, NCS New Canaan, Raising Children, Relationships, Serving Others, Speak Truth, Transparency and Authenticity

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Recent Posts

  • A Tale of Tragedy, Triumph and Changed Lives
  • Adventures of a Urogynecologist (Dr. Bob Lobel – 1/6/23 – NCS New Canaan)
  • Running the Good Race (Reginald Jones III – 12/16/22 – NCS New Canaan)
  • Three Lessons from a Journey with Jesus (Bishop Frank Caggiano – 12/2/22 – NCS New Canaan)

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