How to Host a Diocesan UTO Ingathering
1. Talk to your Bishop/Diocesan Office
- Not sure where to start with talking about UTO? No problem. Here are some sample elevator speeches to get you started. You can use them as is, combine them, or if inspiration strikes, you can write your own.
- Bring with you an overview brochure to help explain UTO, and a grant brochure to show where the funds went last year.
- Contact our staff for information specific to your diocese to bring along with you. We can make a list of every grant awarded to your diocese, share your Ingathering totals since 2000, or provide you with a brochure with the highlights of the last triennium for your diocese. You can also click on the above links to create a list on your own.
- Determine a small budget for printing locally. Currently, UTO mails basic materials monthly and kits for parishes on a seasonal basis. Kits for diocesan conventions are mailed monthly, on or around the 20th of the month. A list of all resources available for print and download can be found here.
2. Ask to hold the Ingathering at Convention
Get clear on the deadlines and who the contact people are for newsletters, pre-convention information, and liturgical planning. You may not have much say in the actual worship service, but you can check in with people and share materials with them.
- Ask that the Diocese share UTO videos either during breaks at convention or on their social media page.
- Find out if your Diocese has an offering plate or basin special for UTO. If not, you can invite a local artist to create one for you.
3. Promote and Remind
Ideas to include in newsletters and articles:
- Grants to the diocese
- UTO Grant application information
- Reminder about participating in UTO for parishes (and how to get information if the parish doesn’t participate in UTO)
- Information about how to participate in the Ingathering at Convention (or similar) including sending in funds directly
4. Ways to Give
- A QR Code can be placed in your Convention Materials as an easy connection to donate online.
- Text to Give is another way to help people connect to our online donation service. Simply share that if they text INGATHER to 41444, it will open the online donation page.
- Ingathering as a part of convention.
5. Plan UTO Ingathering
- Encourage the worship planning team to use the Liturgy booklet to help plan the service. The Ingathering Sunday liturgy is available here as a downloadable and editable document to get you started.
- UTO also has a list of Suggested Hymns to share with your music team.
- Make sure to ask for space for a UTO display in the exhibit area. Think about ways to make your UTO Booth Interactive. You can use the Photo Booth Props with a simple blue background (table cloths work great) and have fun giveaways (tattoos/stickers/etc.) and candy available. You can also have poster boards available for people to write words or notes of gratitude.
- Have Prayer Booklets available, as well as the QR code for people to submit prayers. You can also collect them at the booth and then scan and email them to Heather to put into the system for you.
- Print out Ingathering cards to use in lieu of using checks – see the Diocesan Ingathering Financial FAQ for more information.
6. Collect and Submit Funds
Please send all UTO funds as quickly as possible, but no later than December 15 to:
United Thank Offering
DFMS – Protestant Episcopal Church US
P.O. Box 958983
St. Louis, MO 63195-8983
- Please follow the financial practices of your diocese for handing donations, if you need more information for how to handle UTO funds specifically, we’ve created a handy guide to best financial UTO practices for a Diocese.
7. Follow Up
- Send thank you cards to anyone who helped your congregation focus on gratitude, from Faith Formation to Worship leaders.
- When you send in your funds, we are happy to send thank you cards for you. Please submit your lists to hmelton@episcopalchurch.org.
- Think about ways to continue to remind people to practice gratitude throughout the year. You can share resources that are created for Fall, November, or Lent with congregations via your diocesan newsletter and remind people of the grant process deadlines.
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