Anyone who has been around NCS for a while knows that our group of brothers loves nicknames, or monikers. The longer you are with us, the greater the likelihood you, too, will be given one! Here’s a quick story about how some of our brothers got their special nicknames and what they mean to our organization today.
“Coach" – Bill McClain
Coaching basketball is part of McClain’s background and he was successful at it having coached at various high schools universities. Coaching is about so many things but is based upon teaching, developing and challenging people to a different view of themselves. McClain uses his skills to infuse those he "coaches" with the encouraging news of the love of God.
"The Guru" - John Mark Fuller
While the exact origin is unclear, it doesn’t take a person long in a conversation with Fuller to realize that he is well-read and has a deep knowledge base. He is passionate about language uses it to provoke folks in most any interaction. Many times in a group conversation he is the one to bring clarity or the one to whom people ask, "John Mark, what do you think?"
“Italian Stallion” - Larry Menconi
Menconi is, in fact, Italian, but he also carries the aura of a stallion. Menconi exhibits some traits of the stallion mentioned in Job:39:19-25, and has a holy “feistiness” that’s made him instrumental in initiating and supporting the development of NCS groups in many areas.
“The Head Diener” – Dick Joyce
Several years ago, some of our Moravian Brothers suggested that we hold a Love Feast as part of our NCS Friday gathering before Christmas. Dick Joyce took the lead on getting feast supplies as well as recruiting men to help serve. Since the servers at a love feast go by the German term of “diener”, it seemed fitting to have Joyce be dubbed The Head Diener. Our NCS legend has Joyce in the Diener Hall of Fame, wherever it may be based.
“Job Doc” - George Hoyt
This came about when we started Transition Tuesday. In order to support the men who were looking for jobs, The Job Doc provided practice interviews, resume review, career counseling and most importantly encouragement to men during one of the most traumatic times in their lives.