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The United Thank Offering is a ministry of the Episcopal Church that provides a way for men, women, and children to give thanks daily to God. For over 100 years, Episcopalians have been dropping coins in "blue boxes" in thanksgiving for the blessings in their lives. These coins are gathered on special ingathering Sundays, and every cent received is given away in grants. These grants have built churches, made needed renovations, fed the hungry, clothed the poor, provided shelter for the homeless and provided care and support for those with physical, mental and emotional problems. In 2007, 20 Diocese of Kansas parishes participated in the UTO Ingatherings. A check for $8,233.58 was sent to the national church. 202 applications were submitted to the national office. 104 grants were funded from the $2,439,342.45 collected. Kansas received a grant of $12,500 for Episcopal Social Services' Community Cupboard at St. Paul’s Church, Kansas City. UTO was established in 1889 as the United Offering by the Women's Auxiliary to the Board of Missions and was used primarily to support the work of women missionaries and expansion of the church. That emphasis has broadened to include all areas of the church's work. The mission of UTO is to expand the circle of thankful people. If you do not have UTO ingatherings in your parish, it is easy to get a program started. Here are some guidelines for a parish UTO coordinator:
For more information about the United Thank Offering at the national level, click here. |
