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Diocesan coordinator:
Rosemary Bagin
ph. 636-281-1962
#4 Americana Place Ct., O'Fallon, MO 63366
baginr@charter.net
About UTO
United Thank Offering (UTO) is a ministry of the Episcopal Church. It exists to expand the circle of thankful people. To achieve this mission, UTO encourages daily prayers, offerings, and awareness of the abundance of God's blessing.
 Through the familiar "little blue boxes," prayers of thanksgiving are said and spare change, multiplied by the generosity of the church, is contributed. Lisa Fox, parishioner at Grace-Jefferson City, wrote of her experiences with UTO blue boxes in a recent edition of Seek (June/July 2010 download a 24.3 MB PDF or read online, includes mobile option)
UTO funds collected each year are dispersed by the UTO committee each Spring. Each diocese may submit two grant requests each year. Recent grants in our diocese have been:
- 2010: no grants awarded in the diocese
- 2009: St. Louis, Episcopal City Mission Detention Centers
- 2008: Companion Diocese Grant: Diocese of Lui, Sudan
- 2007: St. Louis, St. John's Episcopal Church on Arsenal
- 2004: Washington, MO., Care and Counseling, Inc.
- 1998: St. Paul's Community House
- 1997: Episcopal City Mission: 12 Steps Addiction to Violence
Grants
All grant applications are reviewed in the diocese by the UTO Grant Committee of the ECW (Episcopal Church Women). Grant application, as well as information on criteria, church wide past projects and other helpful information is online at the UTO website.
Ingathering
In 2009, seventeen of the diocese's parishes participated in the offering. We are hoping to widen that circle of thankfulness and prayers. UTO coordinator Rosemary Bagin can help you with any questions you have about the ingatherings, whether your parish is new to the process or a long-time participant. Please feel free to contact her.
A Prayer of Gratitude
Gracious and abundant God, we thank you for this magical fragile world in which you have made us to dwell. All that we are and all that we have is gift, extravagnt and holy gift. Open our eyes in wonder before the beauty of the world. Enlarge our reverence for all living creatures and our stewardship of life. Make us generous as you are generous, and alive as you are alive. Turn our heart from the service of self alone that we may be grateful stewards of your gifts and servants of the common good. Give us the mind of our Lord Jesus, whose saving embrace on the cross makes us whole, that in humility we may love you in all things and love one another in all grace and peace; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-The Rt. Rev. Henry Nutt Parsley Jr., Bishop of Alabama
October 14, 2011
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