About Movember

The Mo, slang for moustache, and November come together each year for Movember.

Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The rules are simple, start Movember 1st clean-shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men’s health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for prostate cancer. Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, the men of Movember commit to growing a moustache for 30 days.

The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia. The plan was simple – to bring the moustache back as a bit of a joke and do something for men’s health. No money was raised in 2003, but the guys behind the Mo realized the potential a moustache had in generating conversations about men’s health. Inspired by the women around them and all they had done for breast cancer, the Mo Bros set themselves on a course to create a global men’s health movement.

In 2004 the campaign evolved and focused on raising awareness and funds for the number one cancer affecting men – prostate cancer. 432 Mo Bros joined the movement that year, raising $55,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia - representing the single largest donation they had ever received.

The Movember moustache has continued to grow year after year, expanding to Canada, the US, UK, New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, South Africa, the Netherlands and Finland.

Check out this #Movember effort to change the face of men's health http://t.co/lw7a87D via @movember

In 2009, global participation of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas climbed to 255,755, with over one million donors raising $47 Million for Movember’s global beneficiary partners. We are proud to announce that last year’s Canadian campaign was the second largest in the world behind Australia, with 35,156 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas coming together to raise $7.8 million for Prostate Cancer Canada.
 
Go to the Movember Website!

Greetings members of AOTS Consecon Carrying Place:

Today you celebrate 50 years of your club’s existence. Congratulations on this wonderful achievement. There are among you some who have taken that entire journey. Please extend best wishes to your four charter members: Gerald Batchelor, Russell Forsythe, Ross Goodmurphy and Gordon Lloyd. These elders and all are honoured tonight. Well done.

Your club has seen many changes since 1960. You were born in the age of: Mike vs Dief, a time of Kennedy, Castro and the Bay of Pigs; and later the Beatles, Vietnam, Trudeaumania, birth control and the sexual revolution; the flag and de Gaulle’s Vive Le Quebec Libre.

You have seen many things including the development of our health care system; Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment and the end of apartheid; the closing of residential schools and apologies to survivors; the advent of the internet; and the challenge of globalization, climate change and 9/11.

And throughout that time you have been an AOTS club devoted to the concept of servant leadership and the teachings of the one we call Christ, Jesus. 

Carrying Place United Church

You have sent youth to camp, built cabins at Quin-Mo-Lac for them to sleep in, dispensed bursaries to deserving students, organized strawberry socials, pancake dinners and auctions to raise money for various worthy causes. Well done Consecon Carrying Place. Thank you for your work.

While Christian fellowship and service has always been an important characteristic of AOTS, that spirit of service and reaching out is needed now more than ever. Congratulations and best wishes for the years ahead, as you continue the work of making a real difference for people by being among them as one that serves.

Thank you

Jim McKibbin

President’s Report for October

Dondi Drumathon Weekend Report


This month’s report will be brief. I am going to mlet the pictures do the talking for the most part. What follows is a brief overview of the Drumathon at Beach United one of 25 across the country. I would like to extend my thanks to all AOTSers who participated in making this program a success. There will be more news next month and in our upcoming Handshake.

Beach United Church held a successful 24 hour Drumathon on October 1st and 2nd raising over $5,000 for the rebuilding of the Lutamo School in the Dondi Region of Angola.

Beach was one of 25 separate venues that organized Drumathon events from coast to coast (Victoria to St John's). The school was destroyed during a 27 year long civil war which left 500,000 dead, thousands of refugees and the destruction of the country's infrastructure. The Lutamo school was originally established by Christian missionaries almost 100 years ago (1914). The United Church has been involved the Dondi school and other schools in Angola for many years and maintains fraternal relations with the Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola (IECA).

The Lutamo School site is on land owned by IECA, a United Church partner church. Luis Samacumbi, director of the church’s Department of Social Assistance, Studies and Projects, will oversee the rebuilding of the school.

During the Beach event, the Abbey North Drummers (Bazza Hayward, Christine Cullen and Joseph Truss) led various drumming sessions throughout the weekend beginning with a coordinated kick-off on Friday evening. Broadcast facilities were established so that various drumming sites could see each other. The Beach event included time for one film (The Visitor - about drumming) and as well a Jazz Vespers service on Saturday afternoon.

Previous to the Drumathon some $140,00 had been raised by the Men’s Ministry Network and As One That Serves (AOTS) through the organizing of drumming circles and individual donations. The national results from the Drumathon will be available in a few weeks.

All in all the event was very successful and a tired bunch of drummers joined the rest of the congregation on Sunday following the Drumathon to continue the drumming enthusiasm during the regular morning service and raise more money for the project.

You Still Have Time - Banff Men's Conference

Banff Men's Conference - October 15-17, 2010

To Seek Justice and Resist Evil: Making a Straight Path for the Lord

As men of faith in a complicated and troubling world, we are faced with issues and concerns that can leave us in conflict and confusion. From our first exposure to the church in Sunday School to the messages we receive today in our worship, we know that Christ has called us to love others as we love ourselves. The scriptures tell us that Jesus said we should turn the other cheek when faced with violence and oppression. At the same time when we recite our Creed we promise to Seek Justice and Resist Evil. Every night we watch the news and see graphic evidence, live and in colour, of the level of injustice and evil at work in our world. How do we respond?

Historically, one of the ways we have responded as a nation has been to send our young men and women in uniform to countries all over the world to try to make a difference. How can we, as followers of Christ, reconcile our desire to support these people we have sent into harm's way with the non-violent teachings of our faith? Brigadier General Peter Holt (retired) has strived for 39 years in the Canadian Armed Forces to be a soldier of Christ as well as a soldier of the military. As our theme speaker, he will lead us on a journey to explore our feelings on these matters and empower us to discuss our views in an open and respectful manner.

Registration Form: Banff Men’s Conference October 15-17, 2010
 
Banff Men’s Conference 2010 Chair
Doug Currie – dcurrie.lcca at telus.net

Registrar:
Richard Roy, Registrar
203, 9505 Resources Road
Grande Prairie, AB
T8V 8C2
Phone: 780-830-7800
Email: beanroy at telus.net