To order UTO materials, please visit https://dfms.formstack.com/forms/uto_orders

May 20 is the deadline to order materials before we launch our new distribution model over the summer. We are no longer able to ship materials “on demand.” If you are in an emergency, please email Heather and she’ll be happy to help if she can. In June, we’ll launch a new ordering system which will allow you to place orders for either fall materials, spring materials (Lent), or materials that are not seasonally dependent. We will ship fall materials in August, Lenten materials in February, and non-seasonal materials around Easter.

For the program year 2024-2025: 

• Orders placed from June 1 through Aug. 1 will ship in August. 
• Orders from Aug. 2 through Feb. 1 will ship in February. 
• Orders from Feb. 2 through April 1 will ship in April. 
• We will only ship boxes and envelopes from May through August as we’ll be creating the new materials for program year 2025-2026. 
• We will have a kit for new congregations and one for diocesan conventions that will ship on a need-be basis; however, if you are planning to have an exhibit at diocesan convention in the fall, we hope you’ll get your order in over the summer so we can make sure to have adequate materials and giveaways sent to you. 

This new system requires that we all plan and get our orders sent in well in advance of when you need them. We know there will be an adjustment period for a lot of you, so we thank you for your help in making this new system work. Please know that every kit will include UTO materials and giveaways, so we hope that it will make it worth your time and planning to order materials in advance of when you need them.

The post Final Month to Order UTO Materials Before the System Changes appeared first on The Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church Executive Council approved more than $1 million in United Thank Offering grants supporting 20 innovative mission and ministry projects during its April meeting.

The funds come from the United Thank Offering’s yearly Ingathering, which includes monies collected in “blue boxes” at Episcopal churches, designated as thank offerings. This year’s total includes a special matching challenge grant to raise funds for the ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

This is the second of a three-year United Thank Offering grant focus on Matthew 25. This year’s grants fund projects that explore new, meaningful ways to welcome people with differences that cause isolation, as well as projects that encourage truth-telling, acknowledging historic trauma, and establishing a path toward healing. The 2023 grants supported projects related to the worldwide incarceration crisis.

“Everyone has felt left out at some point in their life, but Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 are all about people who are regularly left out or underserved in mainstream societies,” said Sherri Dietrich, board president of the United Thank Offering. “This year’s grants will support some really thoughtful projects that specifically focus on including these people, projects that will change the lives of people around the world and could become models for other churches and groups to use in projects of their own.” 

The UTO Board received about $3.1 million in requests from 57 applications. It was able to fund 20 projects within The Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion, including four historical grants.

Grant recipients are listed below by category. Read details about each project here. Order printed copies of the UTO grant brochure/poster here.

Episcopal Church Awards 

• Episcopal Diocese of Chicago – Community-Based Accompaniment for People Seeking Asylum: $40,495
• Episcopal Diocese of Cuba – Shortening Distances, Bridging Gaps: Labor Missionary Without Barriers: $19,660
• Episcopal Diocese of Easton – Easton English School at Trinity: $30,000
• Episcopal Diocese of Eau Clare – Province V: Engaging Gender Complexity: $55,000
• Episcopal Diocese of Ecuador Litoral – Inclusion, Equality, and the Opportunity to Learn Together: $55,000
• Episcopal Migration Ministries – Rainbow Asylum Ministry: $55,000
• Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota – Shepherd’s Tale: $43,150
• Episcopal Diocese of Venezuela – José Gregorio Hernández Pastoral Health Project: $55,000

Anglican Communion Awards

• Bilateral Partner: Brazil, Diocese of Recife – People are Made to Shine!: $55,000
• Covenant Partner: Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America, Diocese of Guatemala – House of Love for the Chronically Ill: $54,000
• Congo, Diocese of Bukavu – Multi-Service Center for the Holistic Care of Women Victims of Violence: $54,938
• Kenya, Diocese of Bondo – St. Timothy’s Children’s Hope Center: $48,900
• Korea, Diocese of Busan – Empowerment through Café Inclusion: $9,200
• Korea, Diocese of Daejeon – Another Home, One Family: $55,000
• Mozambique and Angola, Diocese of Rio Pungue – Construction of a Welcome Center: $55,000
• Tanzania, Diocese of Tabora – An Inclusive Shelter & Empowerment Center: Building for the Marginalized and Disadvantaged: $48,500

Historical Grant Awards

• The Archives of The Episcopal Church – Records of the Women of the Church: Preservation and Digitization Project: $35,000
• Global Partnerships – Discernment for the Second Half of Life: $45,000
• Episcopal Migration Ministries – The Great EpisGOpal Race: $1,729.96
• Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East – 2024 Challenge Grant for Jerusalem: $187,260.82

Since 1889, the United Thank Offering has awarded more than 5,400 grants for over $144 million. Download the “Full List on UTO Grants 1883-2024” on this page. Learn more about the United Thank Offering.

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Por el Subcomité de Lengua Española

Inscríbase en los eventos en español y/o solicite material aquí
Fecha límite para solicitar material: 15 de mayo.

La Iglesia Episcopal ha cambiado muchas cosas debido a la pandemia, y quizás una de las formas más importantes en que ha cambiado se verá a través de la Convención General que toma lugar este año en Louisville, Kentucky. La Junta de la UTO, decide que en lugar de volver a la forma en que siempre hacíamos las cosas, queremos usar lo que hemos aprendido para tratar de ser lo más efectivos posible, aunque hubo cambios que afectan a la UTO en los que no tuvimos participación. Uno de los cambios es que este año no habrá un Servicio de Recolección en la Convención General, pero esperamos que pueda realizarse en la próxima trienal. Aun así, hay mucho regocijo, nuestra presencia en la Convención será muy intencional y profunda en Kentucky. Esperamos que nuestro stand sea un sitio de reunión y aprendizaje sobre la gratitud, con un botín realmente fantástico así que esperamos conocerlos. 

Debido al horario acortado y la realidad de que muchos de nuestros líderes de la UTO no vendrán a Kentucky, estamos limitando la cantidad de eventos que organizamos. Todos los eventos relacionados con la UTO tomaran lugar en la Oficina de la UTO en el Salón Saratoga justo dentro de la puerta principal del Hotel Hyatt. Dicho esto, se les invita a participar en un taller, que se va ofrecer en español, el 24 de junio de 5:00p-6:00p “UTO 101: Taller para Lideres”. También les extendemos la invitación para los talleres en inglés, si así lo desean. Los horarios estarán en el Calendario de Eventos. Luego, el 25 de junio estas invitado a una Recepción para los lideres de la UTO” de 5:15p-6:15p, donde pueden compartir, conocerse, y donde habrá un intercambio de materiales. Así que traiga consigo materiales de la UTO que ya no necesites y cámbielos por otros nuevos o por los que otras personas trajeron y no usan. Para recibir su Caja, les exhortamos que hagan sus pedidos de materiales con anticipación, por diócesis, desde ya. Habrá muchos materiales valiosos disponibles en español para el conocimiento y crecimiento sobre la gratitud y las bendiciones que a través de sus aportaciones alcanzan para bendecir a otros. Los mismos serán entregados el 23 y el 24 de junio de 10:00a-6:00p ambos en el mismo lugar antes mencionado. Debe registrarse a través de formstack para confirmar su asistencia para asegurarnos de tener suficientes materiales y asientos para los eventos. El formulario debe ser completado por una persona por diócesis. 

También estaremos realizando algunos eventos divertidos: la UTO está trayendo de regreso nuestra búsqueda del tesoro virtual, traerá a algunos de nuestros socios al stand de la UTO para compartir sobre su trabajo y ministerio que creemos que les encantará conocer y hablar en persona si está allí, y tendremos algunos obsequios súper increíbles para entregar. 

Los miembros de la Junta de la UTO asistirán a la Convención General en una variedad de roles este año. Están sucediendo muchas cosas en la convención y queremos asegurarnos de que la UTO esté representada en la mayor medida posible. Por lo tanto, nuestra Junta se está dividiendo para participar en los siguientes eventos: Trienal de ECW, Trienal de DOK (tendremos una mesa en su sala de exposiciones, así que vengan a vernos en la Casa Galt), Festival de Jóvenes Adultos y como visitantes de la Convención General. Dividiremos nuestro tiempo entre audiencias, el Stand de la UTO en la Sala de Exposiciones y ayudaremos con el programa para niños que presenta nuestro programa de Escuela Bíblica de Vacaciones: Olas de Gratitud. 

No olvides pasar por el stand de la UTO para saludar, o nos veremos en los pasillos de la convención. ¡Bendiciones y hasta pronto!

The post Ofertas de la UTO en español en la Convención General (incluido el pedido de material en español) appeared first on The Episcopal Church.

By UTO Executive Committee

The pandemic has changed a lot of things for The Episcopal Church; perhaps one of the biggest ways that it has changed is seen through the smaller scale of General Convention this summer in Louisville, Kentucky. For those of us at UTO, there is a loss: For the second time since 1889, there will not be an Ingathering Service at General Convention. We hope that it might return at the 2027 convention in Phoenix, Arizona. There is also much rejoicing; our presence at convention will be very intentional and deep in Kentucky. We’re looking forward to having our booth be a gathering and learning site about gratitude, with some really fantastic swag.

We’ve got some friends visiting us in the booth whom we think you’ll love getting to meet if you’re there. Perhaps the biggest joy is helping with the children’s program. Our Board will be present at the ECW (Episcopal Church Women) Triennial (come see us at our UTO table), DOK (Daughters of the King) Triennial (come visit our table in the DOK exhibit hall), and for hearings at General Convention. Due to the shortened schedule, we only have two workshops we want to invite the general public at Convention to join us for this year. There is no registration required for these workshops, so come as you are able!

Grant Writing 101
Thursday, June 27, from 10-11 a.m.
Hyatt Conference Room (UTO Office – inside the front door, first room to the right)
Researching and writing grant applications is a daunting task, but once you learn some simple tips and tricks, you can easily navigate the world of nonprofit grant writing. Join us to talk about ways to find funding for your ministry ideas (including, but not limited to, funding from The Episcopal Church), and how to best present those ideas to funding agencies. As a bonus, we’ll also send you home with the UTO grant application for 2025.

What’s New With UTO?
Thursday, June 27, from 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Hyatt Conference Room (UTO Office – inside the front door, first room to the right)
Bring your lunch and come hear about all the new things happening with UTO, from free formation resources to upcoming events the Board is planning for the 2024-2027 triennial. We also hope you’ll come with questions and ideas of ways we can better support your congregation in practicing gratitude. We’ll have some fun giveaways for those who join us.

Sign Up to Help Pick Up Blue Boxes at Convention
Perhaps one of the most important things we do at General Convention is collect the thank offerings of our amazing deputies/alternates, bishops, and triennial delegates/alternates. It takes less than 30 minutes, and you’ll get to meet other UTO members and join a tradition dating back to the early 1900s. Use the link above to sign up for a spot. Everyone who volunteers will get a thank-you gift in the mail after convention. Please email Heather with any questions, but the site also has a longer description regarding this important role.

UTO Leaders Event, June 25, from 5:15-6:30 p.m.
Register here
Please join us on Tuesday, June 25, from 5:15–6:30 p.m. at UTO’s reception for all parish and diocesan leaders. UTO wants to thank you all for your generous and faithful work and provide an opportunity to meet and share ideas with other UTO leaders. There will also be a resource recycling table at the event, so please bring any current resources you have but no longer need so they can be redistributed to someone who does want them. There will not be a formal presentation, but there will be some announcements, so you may come and go as you please and just enjoy time chatting and learning with other UTO leaders and some of the current and incoming UTO Board members.

Bulk UTO Material Pickup
In order to save on costs, UTO is not bringing a ton of materials to convention. With that said, we imagine we will have extras of things for UTO members and leaders to carry home. If you would like to take home materials, please wait until June 27 and then come to the booth before it closes at 2 p.m. or to the UTO office (except during the workshops) to pick up materials. Please see the next article for information on ordering Spanish language materials. 

The post UTO at General Convention appeared first on The Episcopal Church.

By Heather Melton, UTO Staff Officer

My kids participate in a program called KidStrong. For the past few months, one of the activities they’ve been learning about is how to order food. Now this might seem simple to those of us who have been ordering food for a long time, but most kids have their food ordered for them by their parents. This past week, one of the parents I was sitting next to commented that there are a lot of adults who could use this tutorial as well, so I realized I should pay closer attention to the steps the kids were learning. 

Step One: Make eye contact. Step Two: Clearly state what you want to eat and say please. Step Three: When the waitperson acknowledges your order, say thank you and maintain eye contact; maybe smile if they were extra nice to you. Since we’ve been learning this practice, my kids are super excited to order things, and they are also now watching how adults behave in places where you order things. One of my kids commented that most adults don’t look up from their phone and make eye contact. The other said most didn’t say please or thank you, which felt like a big deal to them because I’m always reminding them to say both. She literally asked when she could stop saying please and thank you since adults don’t do it. 

My answer was simple: These things sound simple but can actually be quite hard; that’s why they’re practicing it with adults they know and trust, so that it gets easier for us the longer we do it. We aren’t ever going to stop saying please and thank you, and we’re going to always make eye contact when talking to people unless it is not culturally appropriate for the person we’re speaking to. We talked about how these simple things honor the person we’re talking to and can even sometimes make their day better. Sometimes, we want to just check out and look at our phone, but it’s better to stay present; you don’t know what you’ll miss. 

Here at UTO, we talk a lot about the importance of gratitude, and sometimes I wonder if folks dismiss us because they think gratitude is simple. It is something we teach children to say, after all. For me, and I’m guessing for a lot of you, one of the things we notice when we start practicing gratitude is that it isn’t so simple. Years ago, a friend of mine, Michael, showed me a plant that looks like one in the photo. Michael told me that he loved these plants because each blade is imprinted with the blades that formed around it. He said that for him, this is a reminder that we all leave imprints on one another. 

For me, this is what happens when we practice gratitude: We imprint upon one another. I notice that when I follow the steps my kids learned about ordering food, eye contact, and saying please and thank you, I sometimes catch people off guard, as though they are surprised I’m looking at them and grateful for them. I think that’s because we’re disconnected from one another in a variety of ways. I feel it in my bones when someone thanks me, and it often catches me off guard because I’m not expecting to be thanked. 

During spring break, I hosted some of the neighborhood kids for a play group, and I ordered pizza to feed them. When the delivery driver got to my house (I had paid and tipped online), he stopped me and said, “I want to thank you for your generosity; I really appreciate that you tipped me. People don’t really tip much anymore, and I rely on it, so thank you for being generous.” I was speechless. I didn’t really think about it when I did it; I tipped a percentage that I always use, and mostly was just grateful someone would bring food to my house when it was full of kiddos who can eat their weight in pizza. I stammered; I know I said you’re welcome, but I wish I would have said something more profound. 

This exchange reminded me of two key truths of gratitude. One: For me, it is easier to say thank you than to be thanked; I need to get better at receiving gratitude. Two: Gratitude generates generosity, something we talk about at UTO (and why we have free stewardship materials). When we practice gratitude, we notice the impact of the nice things someone has done for us, and it becomes contagious; we want to pass that feeling along to others. It is nice to notice that we are connected and needed, and gratitude does that. I didn’t know it at the time, but as much as I needed the pizza to appear at my house, the driver needed me to do it as well, for very different reasons. We are connected through gratitude and generosity. Generosity doesn’t just mean money; it can mean the ways we give of our time and ourselves to help others, but in giving those things, we find we are weaving the connections between us. Strangers become neighbors, neighbors become friends, friends become family. 

The next time you wonder how to make the world a better place, consider ways to be generous and grateful, and remember as much as we want to think it is an easy task, it is in fact one that takes practice, just like my kids are learning and noticing. Consider how gratitude can help you stay present, and join in me in thinking about how hard that is when you’ve got a phone to distract you in your pocket before you just take it out and mindlessly scroll. (I’m probably just talking to myself on this one.) Be sure to let me know how the world changes when you practice gratitude and share generously of yourself with others, because I have a feeling you don’t give yourself enough credit for the ways you are knitting the world around you together with love and kindness. So, thank you for all the ways you show up in the world sharing gratitude and yourself with others. I am so grateful for the kindness and care you’re putting out into the world today and every day.

The post Practice Gratitude – Change the World appeared first on The Episcopal Church.

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Early registration is open for a dynamic children’s day camp at the 81st General Convention that will include hands-on projects, music, field trips, and other activities. Applications are also being accepted for volunteers and junior counselors for the program, which runs June 22-28 at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Discounted registration—which runs through April 15—is $45 daily for the first child, $35 daily for each additional child in the same family. Regular registration—April 16 through May 24—costs $60 daily for the first child and $40 daily for each additional sibling. The discounted seven-day rate is $245. 

Led by Sarah Petersen, director of Children’s Ministries at Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, the day camp is open to children of clergy, convention deputies, staff, Episcopal Church Women convention deputies, and program volunteers. Children from birth through sixth grade are eligible. 

“The General Convention Children’s Program is being re-imagined as the Waves of Gratitude Day Camp, offering children an engaging and formative experience through a full day of meaningful activities,” said Petersen, who is in her ninth year as children’s program director. “We’ll be practicing gratitude while creating art, exploring the science of water, and interacting on field trips and with visitors to the program.” 

The program will partner with other Episcopal Church organizations, including the United Thank Offering, Good News Gardens, Episcopal Relief and Development, Godly Play, and more. 

“This is a wonder-filled opportunity for kids to experience General Convention in a safe, fun, and formational environment,” Petersen said. 

Young people ages 12-18 can apply to serve as junior counselors. The cost is $20 per day and includes snacks, lunch, field trips, training, and a T-shirt. Applications will be accepted through April 15. Learn more and apply. 

Adults who have completed Safe Church, Safe Communities training within the last three years and are interested in volunteering for a minimum of three shifts can apply online here. 

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention will be held at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville on June 23-28. 

Click here to register. For additional information, email Petersen at gcchildren@episcopalchurch.org

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By Mathy Milling-Downing, UTO Board Province III Representative

Each month we like to share a story of where your thank offering has gone in recent years. This month, one of our Board members shares about her experience visiting Charlie’s Place.

Founded in 1990 as a nondenominational, anti-hunger and homelessness ministry by the associate pastor of St. Margaret’s and the Montgomery County Executive, along with a small group of faithful and concerned congregants, Charlie’s Place has flourished to become a solid program operating several days a week, providing a safe and welcoming environment to the city’s most vulnerable inhabitants.

Charlie’s Place is located in the heart of our nation’s capital, serving the homeless and underprivileged within the local community. The focus is to address the social needs of the less fortunate and is not based on religious beliefs. All participants are welcome regardless of race, age, gender, background, faith, or sexual orientation. All are welcome at God’s table without fear of judgment.

In 2021, in the midst of COVID-19, a UTO grant for $25,000 was awarded to Charlie’s Place with the focus being on a food ministry to feed the urban impoverished clients, many of whom were homeless. The goal was to provide nutritious food to an insecure food community. When buildings were mandated to close their doors due to the coronavirus, volunteers transitioned from feeding clients within the church building to a “to-go” meal service, placing safety first while still providing nourishing food to those who so desperately needed it. Volunteers could be seen around the community pulling wagons filled with bags of food for those who were hungry. The grant supplied additional funding for food when contributions from large corporate donors ceased. Funds from the grant were also used to offset salaries of staff who could no longer depend on responsible volunteers.

Charlie’s Place has come through the devastation brought on by COVID-19 in 2020 stronger than ever, but it has been a slow progression. Major donors such as World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and National Geographic have not completely returned to pre-COVID in-person hosting events. Food prices have risen. Only now are partnerships with restaurants and larger corporations beginning to grow again.

During the past two years, Charlie’s Place has added a case management component to its structure by working closely and forming a positive relationship with Miriam’s Kitchen, with whom they share a social worker. During 2023, they were able to place numerous clients in housing or provided vouchers to cover housing costs. Fifty-four clients benefited from this program, with 34 receiving permanent housing, while 20 others were given vouchers.

The hours of operations have changed somewhat to fit staffing schedules. Charlie’s Place is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Shower facilities as well as a clothes closet—including towels and linens, washing machines, and dryers—are all available for client use. One-to-one counseling services are also available and proving quite effective. The food pantry has expanded. Since August, 2,000 pounds of food have been distributed from the initial 2,500 pounds collected during the church’s food drive. 

As past donors and new contributors continue to support Charlie’s Place, the needs are still great, so all aid is welcome. It is wonderful that Charlie’s Place remained a beacon of light and a place for nourishment during the toughest days and months of COVID. Charlie’s Place offers hope, compassion, and nourishment for body and soul. It also sets an excellent example of the true meaning of “welcoming the stranger.”

The post Grant Story: UTO Board Member Visits Charlie’s Place at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church (2021 grant to the Diocese of Washington) appeared first on The Episcopal Church.

By UTO Executive Committee

Register here
Register by Wednesday, May 8, at 9 a.m. Eastern time to ensure your swag bag arrives in time for the training. For those who register after May 8, it will be sent after the event.

It is time once again for our annual UTO training day! We are excited to invite you to spend some time with us learning about UTO and get a fun package of swag in the mail for attending. Below you’ll find all the details about the day, including some really cool changes to the workshops that we’re offering. Which is to say, if you think you’ve done a virtual training with UTO, this one will be quite different.

Let’s talk swag! This year our swag bag is actually a box—a UTO Bento Box! This bento box is made of recycled or sustainable materials and will come to you filled with a few of the giveaways we’ll have at General Convention in our booth. For those who can’t come to convention, this is a great way to see some of the new promotional materials that will then be available in your UTO material kits. We’ll also pop in one of our new UTO prayer booklets. You’re going to want this exclusive mailing!

What will we be doing in our workshops?
This year we’re offering three workshops. As you know, there are a lot changes for UTO alongside General Convention, so this training day is often the most jam-packed with new information. We’ll start with an opening reflection and welcome from current Board President Sherri Dietrich before launching into workshops hosted by the three committees of the UTO Board. We’ll end the day with some time for general UTO Q&A and a closing by new Board President Karin Elsen.

Workshop No. 1: 2025 UTO Grant Application Supporter Training
Many folks help with UTO grant applications, from the initial idea to completed and submitted packet. This year, instead of just walking you through the grant application, we are going to train you on what to look for when helping an applicant, when to ask for help, and how the new dual-deadline process works. The goal is to not have applicants get conflicting information locally by ensuring that our leaders have the best information accessible to them. If you complete the workshop and a quick online 10-question quiz, you’ll get a certificate saying that you’ve gone through the training, and we’ll list you on our website (if you would like) as someone trained locally to help with applications. You will also receive as much support as you request from UTO Staff and Board members during the application process to help your local applicant. It is our hope that this helps our leaders feel more confident in supporting applicants and helps our staff have more support in reviewing drafts. 

Workshop No. 2: 2024-2025 UTO Formation Updates
We’ve been foreshadowing a lot of changes that are coming to our UTO formation materials, and now will be the moment to learn all about the new ways we are resourcing congregations to grow in gratitude for the 2024-2025 program year. We’ll debut the new material ordering form and process, talk about the materials we offer, and how best to share them if you are a parish UTO leader or a diocesan UTO leader. This is a great chance to hear about what is coming so you can share it with your stewardship, formation, and other church leadership who might like access to free resources for congregational life.

Workshop No. 3: 2024-2027 New for UTO Leaders
Each triennium, the UTO Board reviews our leadership handbooks, and this year brings about some changes now that we are living into a new normal after the pandemic. During this workshop, we’ll share the new handbook for UTO leaders, go over some of the different and new ways we’re seeing that folks are leading UTO in parishes and dioceses, and help answer any questions or talk through things that are unclear or hard for you when it comes to leading UTO. This new approach is to really name that there’s no right way to lead, but if it isn’t bringing joy to lead UTO, then we want to support you in getting help so it is joyful.

The post 3rd Annual UTO Virtual Training Day: May 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Eastern appeared first on The Episcopal Church.

By UTO Executive Committee

The pandemic has changed a lot of things for The Episcopal Church; perhaps one of the biggest ways that it has changed is seen through the smaller scale of General Convention this summer in Louisville, Kentucky. For those of us at UTO, there is a loss: For the second time since 1889, there will not be an Ingathering Service at General Convention. We hope that it might return at the 2027 convention in Phoenix, Arizona. There is also much rejoicing; our presence at convention will be very intentional and deep in Kentucky. We’re looking forward to having our booth be a gathering and learning site about gratitude, with some really fantastic swag. 

We’ve got some friends visiting us in the booth (more about that in our May newsletter) whom we think you’ll love getting to meet and talk to in person if you’re there. Perhaps the biggest joy is helping with the children’s program. We’re so excited to see and help with “Waves of Gratitude” in action alongside amazing field trips, Godly Play stories, and much more in the Hyatt. Our Board will be present at the ECW (Episcopal Church Women) Triennial (come see us at our UTO table!), DOK (Daughters of the King) Triennial (come visit our table in the DOK exhibit hall!), and for hearings at General Convention. Due to the shortened schedule and the reality that a lot of our UTO leaders are either not coming to Kentucky or are coming but to one of the other events, we are limiting the number of events we are hosting and continuing our virtual training day. With that said, we do have two workshops we want to invite the general public at convention to join us for this year. There is no registration required for these workshops, so come as you are able to!

Grant Writing 101
Thursday, June 27, from 10-11 a.m.
Hyatt Conference Room (UTO Office – inside the front door, first room to the right)
Researching and writing grant applications is a daunting task, but once you learn some simple tips and tricks, you can easily navigate the world of nonprofit grant writing. Join us to talk about ways to find funding for your ministry ideas (including, but not limited to, funding from The Episcopal Church), and how to best present those ideas to funding agencies. As a bonus, we’ll also send you home with the UTO grant application for 2025.

What’s New With UTO?
Thursday, June 27, from 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Hyatt Conference Room (UTO Office – inside the front door, first room to the right)
Bring your lunch and come hear about all the new things happening with UTO, from free formation resources to upcoming events the Board is planning for the 2024-2027 triennial. We also hope you’ll come with questions and ideas of ways we can better support your congregation in practicing gratitude. We’ll have some fun giveaways for those who join us.

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