United Thank Offering Spring Ingathering
Please Participate in the UTO Giving
Sunday May 10United Thank Offering Spring Ingathering
Sunday, May 10
The United Thank Offering (UTO) is a ministry of the Episcopal Church. It began as part of the missionary efforts of the Women’s Auxiliary to the Board of Mission, authorized by General Convention in 1871. At the Episcopal Church’s 1889 Triennial Meeting, the women’s first offering of prayer and coins was $2,188.64, and it was used to build a new church in Anvik, Alaska and send a woman missionary to Japan. UTO is still designed to reach out into the world through prayer and thankful giving.
The discipline starts in homes by dropping coins into a special container known as the “Blue Box.” Alternatively, you can put your donation in a blue UTO envelope. Every coin is used to support grants for ministries at home and overseas. Last year, $94,500.36 was sent to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS). Earlier this year, another $7,732.54 was collected from the 2014 fall ingathering, making a total sent to DFMS of $102,232.90.
On the diocesan level, Bishop Shannon endorsed two grant requests for consideration by the UTO Board and the Episcopal Church: $14,996.16 for “St. Peter’s Community Kitchen Expansion” and $46,290 for “Vehicle for the Rt. Rev. Wilson Kamani in Ibba Diocese, South Sudan.”
At our spring ingathering last year, St. John’s collected $271.00. Let’s strive to increase that amount this year.
