United Thank Offering, often referred to as UTO, is a ministry of the Episcopal Church that provides a way for men, women, and children of the Episcopal Church to give daily thanks to God. Every year, the total offering is between two and a half and three million dollars—all of which is used for projects at home and abroad to support grants for missions and ministry. The challenge is that grant requests total between five to seven million dollars! More than one hundred grants are awarded each year through the UTO offering Committee.

The Giving Cycle

The discipline starts in the homes by dropping coins into a special container known as the Blue Box. Many families and individuals drop a coin in the Blue Box each time prayers of thanksgiving are offered.

At specific ingatherings during the year, individuals and families bring their Blue Boxes to their local congregation. Then, the funds are collected together from across the diocese and forwarded to UTO and joined together with funds from other dioceses. All Saints and Ascension Sundays are the recommended ingathering times.

Where are donations sent?

Donations can be sent and more information obtained from our diocesan UTO Coordinator: Ms. Joyce Douglas, 4608 Coronet Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455.

The Grant Cycle

Just as the offering cycle starts locally by putting coins in the Blue Box, the granting cycle begins locally with proposals from parishes and mission outreach programs. Forms for grant requests are obtained from the diocesan office beginning in October. In the U.S. the forms are completed and returned to the diocesan office by the requestor, by the diocesan deadline, and signed by the diocesan bishop. Each diocese may submit two requests each year. All requests are researched by the UTO Committee.

How are grants awarded in Southern Virginia?

In order for a group to receive money from UTO they must apply for a grant. The form can be found at the following web site: www.episcopalchurch.org/uto. The Grant Form is approximately 10 pages long. All questions must be answered. If they are not, the committee wil immediately discard them. The person or group will then notify Southern Virginia’s UTO chairman, Roselyn Neal, and then go before the bishop. It then becomes the bishop’s decision what to do with the presented grant. If the grant is won, the bishop will notify the writers.

Click here for the most current UTO report.
 

The United Thank Offering Prayer

Source of all creation, all love, all true joy, accept, we pray, these outwards signs of our profound and continuing thankfulness for all of life. Bless those who will benefit from these gifts through the outreach of the United Thank Offering; and keep each of us ever thankful for all the blessings of joy and challenge that come our way; through Him who is the greatest gift and blessing of all, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.