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I’m not usually a ‘bandwagon’ person, but just the other day my son Eric asked me if I was going to do “no shave November.”  I thought about it for two seconds and said, “Probably not.  My beard is almost all grey, and it makes me look old.”  Then he made fun of me for about five minutes for being old and bald.  We then talked about when and how it started (neither of us really knew).  But I thought about it more after he left.  I don’t like shaving, and yes, having a beard does make me look a lot older.  (Yes, I can be vain about certain things…). 

            “No shave November” became a “thing” in the 2000s.  It started as a cancer awareness campaign and fundraiser.  The idea is that the money that would be spent on “grooming” would go to a cause.  I don’t spend any money on grooming, and my thinning hair only gets cut once every 5-6 weeks at Supercuts.  But then I thought, what if I grew my beard out and then turned it into a fundraiser, where the kids (little kids up to the high schoolers) can “shave my beard” however they want at the end of the month?  A fu-manchu, lamb chops, an Amish cut, leave a soul-patch, or dye it some color(s)…? 

Then, just this week we got approached by the Owen J. Roberts School District about helping them with their holiday appeal.  They are looking to provide gift cards for groceries and winter essentials for over 50 needy families identified by the District. We will purchase the gift cards with funds we raise, and we will deliver them to the OJR District Office. We’re also raising money to provide some of the meal items for the Thanksgiving Meal at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion in Philly.  All this seems especially timely given the disruption with SNAP payments because of the government shutdown.

            What if I put a jar out in the entryway…?  Could you say no to a second grader asking for money to do something embarrassing with Pr. Christian’s beard?  If we raise at least $400.00, our youth will decide what to do with my beard...and sometime in December, I’ll get shaved.  Guys—any of you want to participate?  (Please, embarrassment loves company.)  This could be fun and for a good cause.  What’s better than that? 

Peace,

Pr. Christian

P.S. Collection envelopes for "No Shave November" will be available in the pews starting this weekend. Please write any checks to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church and write "No Shave November" on the memo line! You can also give online by going to www.stmatthews-church.org/give Once you are there, click "Give Online Now" and then select "No Shave November" from the drop-down menu on the next screen that appears.