How to Host
a Diocesan UTO Ingathering

1.

Talk to your Bishop/Diocesan Office

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 either order a giant Blue Box or 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 available
  • 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

  • QR Code – can be placed in your Convention Materials easy connection to donate online. Be sure to have available the “I gave online” cards during UTO Sunday.
  • 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.
  • Boxes and Envelopes – are available at the distribution center. Be sure to have extra at your booth!
  • UTO Blue Box App – is coming soon!

4.

Plan UTO Ingathering

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

7.

Follow Up

  • Send thank you cards to anyone who helped your congregation focus on gratitude, from Faith Formation to Worship leaders. Any card will do, but if you’d like UTO stationary, it is available here.
  • When you send in your funds, we are happy to send thank you cards for you. Please submit your lists to iwatkins@episcopalchurch.org.
  • Think about ways to continue to remind people to practice gratitude throughout the year. You can share resources that are created for November and Lent with congregations via your diocesan newsletter and remind people of the grant process deadlines.

Sign up to receive monthly news about the United Thank Offering–current events, grant site updates, and more! 

Sign up here.

Register Your Parish

Register your parish with UTO to access perks and help us keep in contact.

Sign up here.

Keep Connected

Please fill out this form if you are a new UTO Coordinator or if you are transitioning out of leadership.

Sign up here.