NCS New Canaan

Founding Chapter

Think About Noble Things (Kevin Mackay – 10/8/21 – NCS New Canaan)

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Kevin Mackay served as a Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps and for 17 years as a Stamford Police officer. With tremendous humility and vulnerability, he shares about the “moral injury” he experienced and the miraculous healing that came through his new-found faith in Jesus.

Kevin explains that the most debilitating “moral injury” came when he was a computer forensic expert with the Stamford Police investigating cases of child pornography. With amazing transparency, he reveals how having to examine unspeakable images and incomprehensible search terms drove him to a mental break. Although he began self-medicating, Kevin shares how he turned to the Stamford Police Chaplain for support. Kevin explains that he was an atheist not interested in hearing about God or Jesus, but he believed he could trust the Chaplain (NCS brudder John Revell of Life Line Chaplaincy) to listen confidentially.

Mackay explains how Revell shared with him Philippians 4, particularly verse 4:8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” He describes how shifting his mind to the “noble” took his focus off the images of evil he had experienced. It also led Kevin to begin exploring the idea of God in various faiths. Ultimately, applying his analytical mind to Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, Mackay knew that what was missing from his life was Jesus Christ.

Although a reluctant convert just like C.S. Lewis, Kevin goes on to share how his new-found faith has both healed him and given him a new perspective on life. It has transformed him from someone always trying to control his circumstances to someone able to look through circumstances and see the hand of a loving God with a wonderful plan. He tells how anxiety and anxiety drugs have been replaced by the healing peace promised in Philippians.

Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Life at the End of the Rainbow (Terry Wilcox – 9/10/21 – NCS New Canaan)

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As he approaches his 75th birthday and his 54th wedding anniversary, Terry Wilcox shares the extraordinary adventure of a life spent saying “YES” to God–a life spent following the God’s rainbow by surrendering to His assignments.

From a humble upbringing, Terry chronicles a journey that has included working for various rescue missions (including 18 years leading the Bridgeport Rescue Mission) from Washington to Connecticut, starting or rehabilitating churches across the United States, being part owner of an excavating business until God called him back into rescue mission work, ministering in various African countries, and at the age of 73 being called away from Connecticut to a new assignment as senior pastor of a church in Florida.

Terry then uses the story of Joseph to offer advice on handling the “death of a vision”–that time in life when our plans or visions are shattered, blocked or interrupted. He explains why that is precisely the time to invite God into your life, surrendering to His plan and vision and watching with amazement at what God can do, regardless of your age. He urges us not to say “NO” or “NOT NOW” when God calls, but instead to say “YES” and ride the rainbow.

When It’s Over . . . No Regrets (Dr. Randall Peeters – 5/21/21 – NCS New Canaan)

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Dr. Randall Peeters is an aerospace engineer, adventurer, sportsmen, author and inspirational speaker. He is the 8th person in the world to complete the “Adventure Grand Slam” which consists of climbing the highest mountain on each continent (known as the “7-Summits”) and reaching both the North and South Pole. He has designed rocket engines and coached numerous CEO’s. But he tells us what matters most is his marriage of 56 years and the fact that Jesus has been at the center of his life for 45 years.

In addition to climbing the highest peaks (including Everest at age 57), Randy has skied from helicopters in avalanche zones, kayaked class 5 rapids, base jumped, sky-dived, surfed, and climbed some of the most challenging rock formations (including El Capitan) among other extreme sports, and he is still going strong at 76 (including off-piste powder skiing and surfing whenever he can). Although Randy has shared his adventures with many groups and organizations over the years, he shares with us his adventures as a follower of Jesus.

With incredible transparency and humility, Randy discusses his upbringing in the Lutheran church, his search for God through many other “isms” (including spiritualism, mysticism, buddhism, hinduism, etc.), his unforgettable encounter with Jesus at a marriage retreat, his miraculous healing from a marijuana addiction, his exploration of many Christian worship experiences and his eventual return to the Lutheran church. Peeters also talks about how he came to understand spiritual warfare, describing times when he recognized attacks.

Throughout sharing his life story, Randy describes how his faith has been central to his work life as well as his “adventure” life–seeing him through tragedies as well as physical, mental, emotional and spiritual challenges. He also shares advice on the adventure for which he says he would trade all the others–being married to his wonderful wife for 56 years.

Randy is also the author of “Journeys to the Edge: Where will your vision take you?”

From “Escaping the World” to “Heaven on Earth” (Zack Hunt – 5/7/21 – NCS New Canaan)

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Zack Hunt, author of “Unraptured: How End Times Theology Gets It Wrong” shares with wonderful humility and transparency the journey that took him from an escapist faith to an incarnational faith.

Zack talks about his childhood growing up in a conservative evangelical tradition doing all the right things, as well as his fascination with the escapism of “end-times” theology, vulnerably explaining how it led to both paranoia and a sense of superiority. He describes how a conversation with a college professor began a dramatic unravelling of this beliefs–to the point that he lost interest in God and went through a stage of rebellion against the faith of his youth.

Zack shares how he “slowly crept back to Jesus” with a renewed and transformed faith that still affirmed the return of Jesus but was no longer about a list of ideas to affirm–it became a faith centered on a relational God who loved the world through His people and walked with His people through tribulation. Hunt explains how he came to see the “rapture” that was at the center of his youthful faith as actually “anti-Biblical” and how he came to an understanding of Christian faith that is about incarnation rather than escapism–about building God’s Kingdom “on earth as it is in Heaven”.

Zack’s 30 minute talk is followed by an extended Q&A.

You can purchase Zack’s book by clicking below.

What I’ve Learned from What I’ve Lost (Ron Hutchcraft – 2/5/21 – NCS New Canaan)

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Ron Hutchcraft shares vulnerably and from his heart about the sudden loss of his dear wife Karen a few years ago when she went home to be with Jesus. He opens up about their life and partnership together and how devastating it was to be without her. Ron talks about how his loss led to him writing his newest book Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking: Finding God’s Presence in Your Pain.

Ron then explains in detail five important lessons God revealed to him during the grieving process, even showing some of the notes he made in his journal (with his book and his talk exemplifying how he is personally living out the first lesson):

  • If you are going to have pain, get the point.
  • Repair now what you will regret later.
  • Let your heart feel.
  • Rise above the rubble.
  • The breaking of a man is the making of a man.

Ron’s talk echoes something we have said at NCS New Canaan many times (thanks to Dan Tocchini)–“Our today is robbed by our expectation of a tomorrow.” Think about what you would do if you were told you had one month to live, particularly in the relationships in your life–then JUST DO IT!

For those interested in learning more about, and possibly supporting, Ron’s work, his website is https://hutchcraft.com

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