The History of UTO
At the 1889 Triennial Meeting in New York, the Women’s Auxiliary instituted the United Offering for the support of innovative mission projects and to send female missionaries to serve as nurses and teachers. The United Offering eventually became known as the United Thank Offering (UTO) collecting the prayers and grateful offerings of The Episcopal Church in thanksgiving for the many blessings of this life. Throughout its existence, the work of UTO was fundamental to expanding the mission of The Episcopal Church. While UTO has expanded and grown over the years, the United Thank Offering continues to promote the spiritual practice of gratitude.
For the Extension of the Kingdom
For the Extension of the Kingdom is an online exhibit of The Archives of the Episcopal Church, partially funded by two grants from the United Thank Offering Emery Trust (2018, 2024).
“The exhibit arose from an institutional call to lift up historically marginalized voices and honor the rich and diverse history of The Episcopal Church. Through numerous resolutions the General Convention has upheld the need for greater examination of the role and experiences of women within the church, sharing their unique stories and honoring the centuries of work by lay and ordained women.
Of particular interest, the exhibit’s Virtual Reading Room offers a first-hand glimpse into the work and dedication of the women of The Episcopal Church. It includes digitized versions of the Woman’s Auxiliary Triennial Meeting Minutes and Handbooks, and of the Woman’s Auxiliary and United Thank Offering Annual Reports and publications. The Archives continues its efforts to process and digitize numerous collections in order to make accessible and showcase the history of Episcopal church women.” – The Archives of The Episcopal Church
Julia Chester Emery, founder of the United Thank Offering
Julia Chester Emery was National Secretary of the Women’s Auxiliary, now called the Episcopal Church Women, from 1876 until 1916. She was a modest and self-effacing Victorian lady who was so careful to stay out of the limelight that it is difficult today to piece together all the things she did to advance the missionary efforts of the church and to enable women’s ministries. She led in the effort to get canonical status for deaconesses. She invented and brought into being the United Thank Offering. She was the indefatigable “Miss Julia” to a whole generation of missionaries, both men and women. Her entire life was focused on devotion to this one cause: the spread of Christ’s kingdom among all people.
UTO Annual Reports
