NCS New Canaan

Founding Chapter

Walking on [Frozen] Water: Miracles in Maine (Rev. Richard Berry – 4/28/23 – NCS New Canaan)

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When we first heard from Pastor Richard Berry in 2016, he shared miraculous stories of how God–or “Dad”, as he affectionately refers to Him–responded to the heartfelt and desperate cries of a small-town pastor wanting to provide a home for the homeless and food for the hungry in Skowhegan, Maine.  

With tremendous humility, Berry explained how his eyes were opened and his heart changed toward the homeless.  It was a message of hope.  “Dad” is still in the miracle business when his children get on their knees and ask for help.

When he came back (via Zoom) in 2020, Richard shared more stories of hope, human dignity, miracles, joy and self-reflection from the Covid pandemic. By this time, he had published three books chronicling the miracles happening in Maine.

Richard has now written four books and the fifth is scheduled to be published in 2023. In his third visit, he described the extraordinary lengths to which “Dad” will go for one person. Richard explains how he thought he was dying, but it turned out to be an elaborate and amazing ruse from above in order to reach another person with the hope of Jesus.

Berry also describes how “Dad” opened his eyes to miraculous healing. He explains how, after 30 years as a cessationist preaching that God’s miracles stopped nearly two thousand years ago, God used him as an instrument to completely heal a person from cancer.

Why should you listen?  For the same reasons you should listen to the earlier talks and might want to read his books:  If you want to smile, if you need to laugh, if you are willing to cry, if you are lacking hope, if joy seems to be hiding, or especially if you are questioning your belief in God, Jesus or the role of his Church in our world today.

To contribute to Dad’s homeless shelter in Skowhegan, Maine, click HERE.

Finding Peace: Christian Mindfulness and the Holy Spirit (Steve Gilbert – 3/3/23 – NCS New Canaan)

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Steve Gilbert vulnerably shares, from his own experiences as a therapist and a man, about the power of “Christian mindfulness” to help us find peace through an understanding of God’s constant presence through the Holy Spirit.

Gilbert explains that the last three years have been a struggle in his role as a therapist. His struggle has come from watching an increasing number of other people struggle with addiction, depression and relational issues as a result of the pandemic. Steve talks about how this struggle has challenged his faith.

Steve describes the important difference between practicing “mindfulness” and “Christian mindfulness” as a path to lessening anxiety and finding peace. He explains that the practice of “mindfulness” is “just about you” being in the moment, while “Christian mindfulness” includes Jesus and the recognition that the Holy Spirit dwells within us and is with us, always, in the moment.

Gilbert reveals how our prayers are so often misguided in failing to recognize God’s presence with us and in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and he offers how prayers change when we recognize that reality.

Steve describes the difference between “shame” and “guilt” and the power of “shame” to block our ability to be mindful of Christ’s presence, and he goes on to explain how we can break that blockage.

Steve also reveals and explains the frequent lie of “religion” that we can manufacture personal holiness and overcome the temptations of sin through spiritual “self-help” disciplines, which too often create pharisees and legalism.

Gilbert shares how we can overcome the temptations of sin, be transformed “from inside out”, and find peace through “Christian mindfulness”–understanding that God dwells within us always through the Holy Spirit.

Going from Mess to Mission (Nick Agneto – 2/17/23 – NCS New Canaan)

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With extraordinary humility and vulnerability (and his father in attendance), Nick Agneto shares the amazing journey from “mess to mission” that was prophesied when he was just a boy.

Nick describes a typical childhood in a dutifully religious and loving family followed by an adolescence searching for love and intimacy in all the wrong places. He talks, in “spoken word” poetic style and with remarkable transparency, about the “mess”–a tale of women and nightclubs fueled by a cornucopia of drugs that left a trail of brokenness.

Agneto recalls learning about the awakening of his father’s faith and the way he quietly pursued God, all the while modeling a new way of being for his family. Nick shares the anger he felt toward God in the middle of the “mess” as he searched for intimacy and God pursued him.

Nick also tells the amazing story of his miraculous and instantaneous healing at the hands of a visiting preacher through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a healing that transformed his life, launching him toward the life of “mission” prophesied by a Catholic priest when Nick was an altar boy. Nick explains that he made a decision that day to follow Jesus whole-heartedly.

Nick challenges us to take the step he finally took–to choose intimacy with Jesus, to choose healing, to choose new life, to choose to know His love so that we can love others, to say “I want you, Lord!”. He challenges us to listen for God, to hear what He has for our lives, and to “be about our Father’s business”. He challenges us to share the story of the cross and how it has changed our stories. He challenges us as NCS brudders to “show up” for each other.

Adventures of a Urogynecologist (Dr. Bob Lobel – 1/6/23 – NCS New Canaan)

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With incredible courage, humility and vulnerability, Dr. Bob Lobel shares the challenges and pain that can come from “family of origin” problems–in his case never feeling he could meet his father’s expectations.

Bob explains that, despite being seen by others as a hugely successful and confident surgeon, those childhood feelings manifested as intense “shame” that has impacted his marriage, relationships, career and life. He describes it as a “chronic illness” that requires daily “medication”.

Despite growing up in a home devoid of religion or God, Bob talks about the deep faith that has helped him survive horrific tragedies, including the loss of a child to SIDs and his first wife to cancer.

As the founder of the NCS Albany chapter, Bob shares the profound impact NCS has had in his life: his first NCS experience was a Retreat at Mohonk Mountain House, an NCS Retreat at Hershey opened the door to understanding his shame, and an NCS Retreat at the Homestead helped his family heal from the loss of his first wife.

This is an NCS brudder truly taking off his mask in the hope that revealing his pain may help others begin to face and heal from theirs.

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

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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.

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