U T O U T O U T O

UTO Change 1

CHANGE

New Times New Technology New Grant Process"We have a choice. The stones in our path can become a wall or they can become a bridge."

         (Posted  by  a  friend  on  Facebook)The  members  of  the  United  Thank  Offering  Board  spent  some  7me  this  fall  reflec7ng  on  walls  that  separate  and  confine  us,  as  well  as  bridges  that  provide  a  means  to  cross  over  to  another  place.   The   next   few   months   are   a   bridging   7me   for   the   UTO   grant   process.   Like   highway  construc7on  UTO  has  a  bridge  in   place  while  the  Grant  CommiFee  establishes  a  new,  shorter  7meline   from   grant   applica7on,   to   grant   awards  and   to   have   it   accomplished   electronically.  During  October   through  December,  we   invite  you  to   use  the  following   “Marks  of   Mission”   to  focus  on  crea7ng  bridges  to   self   sustainability   in  your  diocese,   and  companion  diocese  where  there  is  a  need  for  life  changing  and  life  empowering  ministry.  Please  consider  what  need  may  turn  into  a  ministry,  be  a  place  where  transforma7on  takes  place  that  will  fit  the  guidelines  for  a  UTO  grant.    What  bridge  will  you  be  building?

Marks  of  Mission:    “To  respond  to  human  need  by  loving  service”  and  “To  seek  to  transform  unjust  structures  of  society”.  

November   2012   -­‐   Grant   criteria  will   be  available;   January   1,   2013   -­‐-­‐   February   28,   2013  –   The  Grant   applica7on  will  be  available  online;  February  2013   -­‐  Each  diocese  must   use  a  Diocesan  Screening  CommiFee  that   includes  the  UTO  Diocesan  Coordinator;  February  28,  2013  -­‐-­‐  Applica7on  and  all  required  suppor7ng  documents  must  be  received  electronically   in   the  UTO   office   (this  gran7ng   season   there  will  be  no   excepAons);   March   2013   -­‐  UTO  Grant  CommiFee  will  review  each  grant   for   compliance;  March  and   April  2013  –  Grants  are  to  be  researched  by   UTO  Board  members;   May   2013   –   United  Thank   Offering   Board  Gran7ng   Session   and   Board  Mee7ng.   (UTO   Board  members  will  not  be  able  to  inform  you  of  the  grant  status  un>l  no>fica>ons  have  been  distributed); June  2013  -­‐  Award  and  declina7on  leFers  will  be  distributed.  

For   further   informa7on   please   contact:   Barbi   Tinder,   Grant   CommiJee   Convener,   utoprov1@gmail.com   or  Michelle  Jobson,  UTO  Grant  Associate,  UTO  Office,  mjobson@episcopalchurch.org.

Barbi Tinder-Province I - Grants Committee Convener

“Our Change Changes Lives”

Message from the Board PresidentSarita Redd, Board President, reflects on where UTO has been and where it can go now!Page 3

The Watonga Dance Ground in OklahomaUTO Board makes a grant site visit to an amazing community resource in Oklahoma.Page 7

Roberts Rules of OrderConnie Skidmore talks about the responsibilities of a Board during the Fall UTO Board Meeting.Page 10

“Our Change Changes Lives”Reflections on the power, the challenge and the reality of changePage 2

The Little Blue BoxA surprising event ison the horizon--the Blue Box is putting on its digital face!Page 4

TANZANIA VistedA hospital for women and children brings hope to Tanzania and an opportunity for UTO.Page 6

A RECURRING NEWSLETTER FALL 2012

A bridge built of prayer stones by the 2012-2015 UTO Board

UU N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

2 UTO Change

The   United   Thank   Offering   is   a   long   term  ministry   of   the   Episcopal   Church   with   its  true  beginnings   in  1871  when  the  Board  of  Missions   was   authorized   to   create   a  Woman’s   Auxiliary,   a   department   of   the  Board,   in   their   budget.     The   stated   goals  for  the  Auxiliary  were:  1)  to  increase  funds  for   the   Board   of   Missions;   2)   to   circulate  missionary   publications:   3)   to   educate  missionaries  and   their   children;  4)  to  make,  collect   and  distribute  articles  of  clothing  for  missionaries   and   their   families.     There  are  two   important   facts   here;     women   were  introduced  to  a  specific  place  in   the  Church  for  the   first   time   and  women  were  charged  to   raise  funds   for   the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary   Society   of     (The   Episcopal  Church)   to   support   mission   both   far   and  near.

In  1872  Miss  Mary  Emery  was   hired   as  the  first   secretary  of   the  Women’s   Society  and  Auxiliary.     In   1874   the   first   Triennial  Meeting  was   held   in   New  York  City,  called  the   General   Annual   Meeting   of   the  Women’s  Auxiliary.    Held   at   the  same  time  as   General   Convention,   this   allowed  women   to   travel   with   husbands!     The  Triennial   Meeting   laid   the   groundwork   for  a   more   active   role   for   women   in   the  Church,   but   it   would   be   about   100   years  later   (1970)   when   women   were   seated   in  the  House  of  Deputies  and   allowed   to   vote  on  Church  affairs.    In   the  intervening  years,  the   voices   of   women   were   limited   in   role  and   responsibility.     Yet   the   women   never  gave   up.     They   stayed   on   course,  making  themse lves   known   to   the   Church ,  especially   through   their   most   successful  efforts   to   raise   funds   for   mission-­‐-­‐The  United  Thank  Offering  “The  History   Corner”   is   a   regular   feature  of   UTO   Change.       We   hope   the  information   found  here   will   be  useful     in  dioceses,   churches   and   presentations.    The  purpose  is   to  discover  and  spread   the  good   news   about   how   giving   thanks  really   works,   bringing   tangible   results   to  so   many.   “Our Change Changes Lives”Anne  Gordon  Curran            Vice-­‐President

United  Thank  Offering  Board

Our Changing WorldA Message from the Editor

Families are full of myths and legends; we rarely really know a story from the person who lived it—we know it from the tale handed down through generations. My grandfather was born in 1895, my grandmother in 1989. When they were married, they traveled by horse and buggy from the lush green of South Texas to the harsh, windswept plains of northwest Texas where the wind never stops blowing to make their home. This was a dramatic change for the young bride, who also left behind her huge extended family of 9 brothers and sisters and many cousins, aunts and uncles.

Be Fearless Embracing Change

My grandfather was fearless in embracing change. He demanded and got that courage from my grandmother as well. My grandfather owned one of the first Model-T’s, and was waiting in line to be one of the first hundred people to drive to the top of Pikes Peak, in Colorado—America’s Mountain, which Zebulon Pike claimed no man would ever climb—the 67th car in a parade of 100! (We have the certificate of that accomplishment still!)

My grandfather was a radio pioneer—he helped develop radio communication during the First World War. He built the second radio station on the air in the nation, and the first three stations in the state of Texas. (All of which are still on the air!) His goal was not fame—his goal was to make communication better in the world!

His world was always rapidly changing! In his lifetime, cars became as powerful as more than 100 horses; television came to life and went from black and white to color; men

went from flying little bi-planes to commercial airlines, to walking on the moon. When we were kids, we would lie on blankets in the front yard and watch for satellites flying over—the first kid to spot one got $20.00—as did each subsequent kid! He loved technology and taught us to love it too.

Change is the Nature of LifeSo now we talk about a rapidly changing world, as though this has never been human experience before; I look at my grandfather and his lifespan and think, “This has always happened. “ The world is and has always been in a state of rapid change that demands courage from the human race. If you think of your own life, you too are always in a rapid state of change—that is called living, and for most of us living fully.

Now I look at The United Thank Offering. I have known about the UTO all my life; one of my

b e l ov e d au n t s — my grandmother’s sister was a UTO sponsored missionary in Japan--she was fearless. The UTO has constantly changed as the world has changed—this has been an

active, hand in hand relationship, UTO and Change.

Our Change Changes Lives“Our Change Changes Lives,” our new tag line gives us a challenge to reflect on the spiritual fact of change. Our coins in the Blue Box are change that goes out into the world in the form of grants to change the world—to make it a better, safer place. Our coins in the Blue Box offer to change us—to make each of us more aware of living life with gratitude and thanksgiving. Those of us serving as missioners of the United Thank Offering, whether in our Congregations, our Dioceses, our Provinces, or our Church in the wider world are given the gift of being agents of change—change that changes our lives as well.

This newsletter, a revitalization of the newsletter called “Daily Thanks,” is called UTO Change—the hope is that the stories in these pages will be inspirational, educational, practical and useful. There are no promises yet as to how often UTO Change will appear—perhaps it depends upon the change that demands it. You are welcome to share this journey of change that changes lives with us. We hope you will change with the journey!

Robin Woods SumnersUTO Change EditorProvince VI RepresentativeCommunications Convener

The History Corner

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

UTO Change 3

A  Rainbow  For  The  LiJle  Blue  Box

Beyond   every   storm   is   a   brilliant   rainbow  filled   with   the   love   and   grace   of   God,   as   in  following   every   trial,   test,   stumbling   block,  disappointment   or   change,  a   new   beginning  arises.    In  7me  everything  must  change,  but  a  giled   legacy,  must   be   preserved.    Whatever  the   charge   or   changes   in   this   life7me,   we  must  remember  God  is  the  beginning  and  He  is  the  end.    In  His  grace  and  mercy  He  created  His  children   (you   and  I),  so   that  we  might   be  in   rela7onship   with   Him   and   in   service   for  others.    God  wants  us   to  offer   our   love,   life,  service   and   joy   therein   to   Him   and   our  neighbors.    Do  you  know  that  your  neighbors  are   the   individuals  who   cross   your   path   day  to  day  and  not  just   the  people  who  live  in  the  house  next   door   to   you?    Do   you   know  that  you  are   charged  by  the  grace  of  God  to  love  your   ne ighbors   without   condi7ons,  restric7ons   or   limita7ons   as   He   loves   each  one  of  us?

Building  one’s  rela7onship  with   God   is   a   day  to  day  ministry,  as  is  the  ministry  of  “UTO”.    A  ministry   built   daily   through   love,   prayers,  understanding,  thankfulness,   faith  and   hope.    Love  con7nues  to  strengthen  our  paths  as  we  give   the   gil   of   service   to   others.     Do   you  know  answered  prayers  allow  us   to  do  God’s  will?     In   order   to   do   His   will,   we   must  understand   the   need   for   service,   kindness  and   compassion,  for   its  cost   is  very  liFle  and  y e t ,   t h e   r ewa r d s   a r e   e n o rmo u s .    Thankfulness   is   bestowed   through   the  blessings   of   the   liFle   “Blue   Box”.     The  

blessings   are   the   coins   placed   in   the   liFle  “Blue  Boxes”  with  love  and  gra7tude.    Those  blessings   are   distributed   through   awarded  UTO   grants   touching   lives   throughout   the  world,  everyday.    May  our   faith,  con7nue   to  embrace   His   holiness   in   the   hope   to   be  worthy  servants,  serving  others  as  we   live   in  the  life  of  service.

Living   the   life   of   service   and   mee7ng   the  compelling  needs  of  others   is   living  a   life   of  significance,   purpose   and   understanding.    Those  that  serve  the  needs  of  others  are  truly  blessed.     The   one   served   is   blessed   by   the  services   rendered   and   the   one   who   serves  find   life,   love   and   joy   in   being   a   servant   of  God.     Service   rendered   for   others   is   a  priceless   gil  and   an  act   of   selflessness.    We  all   hope   for   the  “service  of   enough”,  enough  to   improve   the   lives   of   our   brothers   and  sisters   in   need.     Serving   others   is   an  opportunity  to   make   a  posi7ve   difference   in  the   life   of   one   another.     The   founda7onal  path   to   peace   and   joy   is   to   love   God,   love  your  neighbor   and  to  serve  others.    We  must  love  enough   to  touch   the   hearts  of  God   and  others   through   service.     God’s   grace  con7nues   to   finds   its   way   to   UTO   through  prayer   and   gra7tude.    Mercy  embodies   the  strength  of  prayer,  love,  thankfulness  and   the  gils   of   the   liFle   “Blue   Box”,   those   gils  forever  our  gils  to  God.

UTO   has   transi7oned   from   the   UTO  CommiFee   to   the   United   Thank   Offering  Board.    The  charge  of  the  INC055  Special  Task  Force   -­‐   Ad   Hoc   CommiFee   study   has   been  

received.    The  giled  legacy  preserved.    UTO  is  looking   forward   to   a   future   of   new   7mes,  new   technologies   and   paths   filled   with  prayer,   thankfulness,  coins   for   change   in   the  liFle  “Blue  Box”  and  the  con7nued  support  of  you,  our  brothers  and  sisters  in  Christ.    Know  that  without  you,  there  is  no  success  awai7ng  UTO.     To   you,   our   brothers   and   sisters   in  Christ,  we   ask   for   your   con7nued  support  as  we  take  steps  towards  the  rainbow.    We   the  members  of   the  United  Thank  Offering  Board  are   the   ambassadors   of   the   ministry   of  mission.     Mission   is   the   strength   of   The  Episcopal  Church.    We  must  be  mindful  UTO  encompasses  the  same  tools  needed   to  build  a  day  to  day  rela7onship  with  God.    The  tools  are   and   the   journey   is   simply   built   on   daily  prayer,   thankfulness   and   service   to   others.    Your   service,   your   prayers   and   your   gils   of  love   are   needed   and   will   touch   a   life  somewhere   around   this   world   everyday!    Bless  you   for   your   prayers,   thankfulness   and  coins  for  the  liFle  “Blue  Box”!    The  members  of   the  United   Thank  Offering  Board   applaud  your  service  to  others.    Please  remember   the  rainbow  in  the  box.

If  you  are  not  a  follower  of  UTO  or  offer  daily  prayers   of   thankfulness   or   extend   your  gra7tude  through  the  gil  of   the  coins  for   the  liFle  “Blue  Box”,  I  would  like  to  leave  you  with  this  one  ques7on  of  hope.    Will   you   give   of  yourself,   your   prayers   and   your   coins   of  thankfulness  in  service  to  others?

Strength  and  Honor,Sarita Redd, UTO  Board  President

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

4 UTO Change

The  first  United  Offering   took  place   at   the  Woman’s  Auxiliary.      The  money  was  to   be  divided  between  domes7c   and   foreign  missions.    At  that  7me,  the  women  called  it  “box  work.”    Since  1889,  the  “United  Offering”  has  only  had  one  name  change  which  was  to  “The  United  Thank  Offering”,  in  1919.    To  this  day,  the  “Blue  Box”  is  well  known  and  is  used  throughout  the  world.    There  are  many  “Blue   Boxes”   of   various   colors.     The   older   boxes  were  dark  in   color.    As   the   years   shiled,  the   Blue  Box   has  been   seen   becoming  brighter  and  more  colorful.

Today,   the   United   Thank   Offering   con7nues   to   work   using   the  “Blue  Box.”    Wait!   I   just   received  a  note!    What   is  it?    Oh,  no!     I  heard  there  may  be  changes  that  are  about  to  happen!    Everyone,  listen!    Do  you  hear  anything?    Uh,  oh!    I  can’t  believe  it!    There  is  a  huge  truck  coming  down  the  street.    What  is  it?    It  doesn’t  look  like  anything  I  have  ever   seen.  Now  they  are  bringing  out  a  funny  piece  of  equipment.    What  is  it?    “Can  you  see  what  it  is?”    It  looks  like   something   I   have  never   seen   before!     It   looks   like   they  are  bringing  in  a  large  machine,  and  it   looks  like  it’s  Digital.    Why-­‐-­‐  are  we  going  digital?    

The   United   Thank  Offering  is   about   to   introduce   a  new   “special  box”  and  a  whole  new  look!    The  box  is  special,  because   it  will  be  done  with  digital  design  to  enhance  the  appearance  and  appeal  of  the  Blue  Box.    On  our  new  box,  there  will  be  a  tag  line  which  reads:  “Our  change  changes  lives.”    The  Blue  Box  is  very  important  to  the  mission  

work  done  by  the  United  Thank  Offering.    It  doesn’t  maFer  what  “your”  Blue  Box  looks  like,  because  no  maFer  what  it  looks  like,  it  makes  a  huge  difference  in  the  amount  of  change    collected  for  its  mission.

Mauris egestas lacus sit ameVivamus pulvinar, purus ultricies ultrices ullamcorper, dolor diam euismod nisl, vel consectetuer eros mi sit amet lorem.

— Quisque Massa

By Cindy DillonProvince III Rep

The Blue Box Enters the Digital Age

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

UTO Change 5

Supplies   Supplies    SuppliesYou Talked!!! We Listened!!!This  is  a  list  of  our  NEW  materials  at  this  @me.

UTO  2012  Grants  List  (poster)                          UTO  Litanies-­‐English  

UTO  Pocket  Change  Purse          UTO  Prayer  Book  Volume  IV   UTO  Post-­‐It  Notes  (10  pack)

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We  s7ll  have  UTO  Blue  Boxes,  UTO   Stamps  (white  and  blue).   Don't   forget  our   UTO  Memorial  &  Gil  Trust   Fund  brochure  (25  pack).  When  ordering  please  keep  in  mind  there  is  a  shipping  fee.    Most  of  the  new  materials  will  be  a  nominal  cost  and  some  are  free.Ordering  materials:  www.episcopalmarketplace.org/products/united-­‐thank-­‐offering    or  call  866.937.2772  to  order  materials.         If  you  are  experiencing  any  problems  or   difficul7es  regarding  UTO   supplies,   please  contact  Marcie  Chérau  at  marcie4uto@bellsouth.net  or  Michelle  Jobson  in  the  UTO  Office  at  mjobson@episcopalchurch.org.    We  ask  for  your  con7nued  support  as  we  develop  more  UTO  goodies!

Thank  you  so  much  for  your  support,           Georgie White Member At Large

Asia and Pacific

UTO  Coordinator's  Resource  Guide

UTO  Bookmark(UTO  Contact  InformaAon

English/Spanish)

UTO  Bookmark(  Blue  Box  Mission  Statement

English/Spanish)

UTO  Theology  of  Thankfulness  

(English/Spanish)

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

6 UTO change

St. James Anglican Hospital for Women and Children

In  the  gran7ng  session  of  April  2011,  the  United  Thank  Offering  Board  awarded  $43,791.78  to  build  the  first  phase  of  St.  James  Anglican  Hospital  for  women  and  children  in  Dar  in  Salaam,  Tanzania.    Dr.  Henry  Ziegler  and  his  wife,  Priscilla  (a  nurse),  were  recruited  as  Episcopal  Missionaries  in  2005  to  revitalize  a  health  program  at  Buguruni  Anglican  Health  Center.    In  recrui7ng  this  couple,  Bishop  Valen7ne  Mokiwa  was  hoping  to  find  a  way  to  realize  his  dream  to  build  a  hospital  focused  on  women  and  children  and  AIDS.    The  name  of  the  hospital  is  a  memorial  to  the  bishop’s  son  who  died  as  a  child  from  birth  injuries.

The  Zieglers,  from  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Cross,  Dun  Loring,  in  the  Diocese  of  Virginia,  revitalized  the  clinic  into  good  working  order  with  a  significant  increase  in  pa7ents  served  from  18  per  day  in  2005  to  200  or  more  a  day  currently.    In  2009  Dr.  Ziegler  met  with  Dr.  Deo  Mtasiwa,  Chief  Medical  Officer  of  Tanzania,  who  also  wanted  to  see  the  Buguruni  Anglican  Health  Center  develop  into  a  full  hospital.    With  Bishop  Mokiwa’s  dream  and  Dr.  Mtasiwa’s  commitment,  the  Zieglers  moved  ahead.

Bishop  Mokiwa  has  now  become  archbishop  and  his  investment  of  7me  and  energy  has  only  intensified,  as  he  is  anxious  to  see  the  only  Chris7an  hospital  as  a  resource  in  an  area  serving  over  4  million  people.    As  in  the  clinic,  no  one  will  be  turned  away  due  to  an  inability  to  pay,  hence  serving  the  poorest  of  the  poor.    This  hospital  is  also  unique  as  it  is  the  product  of  several  en77es  coming  together:    the  hospital  is  being  built  on  land  owned  by  the  diocese;  the  government  will  be  providing  personnel  and  funds  for  medica7ons;  and  funds  from  the  United  Thank  Offering  are  used  for  construc7on.    The  grant  request  was  $50,000  and  since  UTO  could  not  fund  the  full  request,  the  Zieglers  and  their  team  of  architects  and  designers  have  modified  and  reconsidered  some  details  to  cut  costs.

To  date  the  hospital  is  under  construc7on  with  a  comple7on  projec7on  for  January  2013.    In  June  2011  construc7on  to  modify  a  shell  building  originally  built  with  Canadian  Anglican  money  was  begun  for  use  as  an  outpa7ent  facility.    This  was  completed  in  November  2011,  approved  for  use  and  the  first  pa7ents  seen.    It  presently  is  being  used  for  out-­‐pa7ent  well-­‐child,  prenatal,  postnatal  and  family  planning  services  while  the  hospital  is  being  constructed.    Another  service  this  hospital  will  offer  is  training  of  local  people  for  jobs  in  the  hospital,  so  it  is  a  resource  for  employment.

St.  James  Anglican  Hospital  will  be  a  vital  resource  in  this  part  of  the  world  where  there  is  certainly  compelling  human  need.    It  is  already  becoming  a  center  where  primarily  women  and  children  are  being  served  for  basic  health  needs,  but  these  women  soon  will  be  able  to  deliver  their  babies  and  have  c-­‐sec7ons  in  a  hospital  with  appropriate  facili7es  and  skilled  treatment  op7ons,  and  their  premature  and  sick  babies  will  receive  much  needed  medical  care.    This  is  an  example  of  how  your  blessings  serve  to  bless  thousands  of  others  well  into  the  future,  a  place  where  our  change  brings  change  in  peoples’  lives.    Thanks  be  to  God.

UTO In Tanzania A Hospital for Women and Children

by Anne Gordon Curran At Large Representative for Africa

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

UTO Change 7

Oakerhater Dance GroundsIn 2010, the UTO granted Whirlwind Mission and the Oakerhater Dance Grounds $86,000 to restore the Dance Grounds and build a storage building for heavy equipment for maintenance of the site. The UTO Board recently visited the site to see for themselves the finished project.On  Saturday,  September  8,  2012,   the  2012-­‐2015  United  Thank  Offering  Board  traveled  to  Watonga,  Oklahoma  to  celebrate  the   Feast   Day   of   David   Pendleton  Oakerhater   (1847-­‐1931)   and   Na7ve   American   Ministries   in   the  Diocese  of   Oklahoma.    Oakerhater,  a  great  Cheyenne  warrior  and  leader  of   the  Cheyenne  people,  in  1985  became  the  first  Na7ve  American   to  be  recognized  in  the  Calendar  of  Saints  of  The  Episcopal  Church.

The  Twenty-­‐Sixth  Annual  Honor   Dance  and  Celebra7on  of   the  Holy   Eucharist   at   the  Whirlwind  Mission  of   the  Holy   Family  Episcopal  Church  highlighted  this  special  day.    The  Reverend  Jim  Kee-­‐Rees,  Vicar  of  the  Whirlwind  Mission  of  the  Holy  Family  Episcopal  Church  and  the  Na7ve  American  Missioner  of  the  Diocese  of  Oklahoma,  warmly  greeted  the  United  Thank  Offering  Board  and  gave  us  a  tour  of  the  grounds.    

This  site  was  of   par7cular   interest  to  the  Board  as  at  this  site  a  sizable  UTO   grant  of  over  $86,000  was  awarded   in  2010,   to  build  the  Oakerhater  Dance  Grounds  (newly  named  Junior  Starr  Memorial  Dance  Grounds)  and  a  large  storage  facility  to  hold  heavy   equipment.     Approximately   $57,000  was  used   to   construct   the   Dance  Grounds  and   to   build   a  permanent   covered  shelter  in  the  middle  of  the  field  for  the  drummers,  and  smaller  units  around  the  grounds  for  spectators.    The  remainder  of  the  grant  of  $30,000  was  used  to  build  the  storage  unit  that  was  equipped  with  state  of  the  art  electrical  fixtures  and  will  also  have  storage  cabinets  built  on  the  walls.

Church   clergy   and  other  area  vicars,   rectors  and  priests  also   greeted   the   Board.     The  Right   Reverend  Edward   Konieczny,  Bishop,  Diocese  of   Oklahoma,  was  also  present   for   the  fes7vi7es.    He  as  well  as  The  Reverend  Jim  Kee-­‐Rees  par7cipated  in  several  of  the  Na7ve  American  Spiritual  Dances.

Following  the  celebra7on  of   the  Holy  Eucharist  and  Bap7smal  Service,  the  United  Thank  Offering  Board  was  introduced  and  each  was  presented  a  hand  beaded  cross.    A   lovely  feast  followed  the  service  and  was  served  by  guest’s  clergy  of  the  Diocese  of  Oklahoma  and  members  of  the  church.    All  in  aFendance  enjoyed  the  many  Na7ve  American  dishes.

With   the  Drummers  bea7ng   the   songs   in   the  middle  of   the  Dance  Grounds,   the  Na7ve  American  dancers  displayed   their  tradi7onal  na7ve  dancing  and  lovely  costumes  with  compe77on  las7ng  well  into  the  night.    During  the  fes7vi7es,  raffle  7ckets  were  available  for  chances  on  items  such  as  Pendleton  blankets,  pain7ngs,  handmade  shawls,  a  drum,  and  50/50  raffles.

The  Board  returned   to   St.  Crispin’s  Conference  Center  in  Wewoka,  Oklahoma  in  the  wee  hours  of   the  morning.  They  were  7red  but  filled  with  thanksgiving  of  witnessing  a  dream  become  a  living  reality  through  the  many  blue  box   contribu7ons  that  comprise  a  UTO  grant.  What  an  opportunity  for  the  United  Thank  Offering  Board  to  witness  the  Na7ve  American  culture  and  respect  for  tradi7ons  that  will  con7nue  to  be  a  living  legacy  for  genera7ons  to  come.  

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

8 UTO Change

The 2012 -2015 United Thank Offering Board

In sagittis velit ut est ultrices sollicitudin. Donec a purus mollis dui fermentum ornare. Vestibulum viverra condimentum diam. Aenean aliquam, diam id dignissim accumsan,

September  5  -­‐10,  2012  the  newly  formed  2012-­‐2015  United  Thank  Offering  Boad  held  its  first  mee7ng  at  St.  Crispin’s  Conference  Center  in  Wewoka,  Oklahoma.  Eight  Province  Representa7ves  as  well  as  three  Members  At  Large  were  in  aFendance.  During  the  week  mee7ng  they  were  joined  by  Connie  Skidmore,  UTO  Parliamentarian  and  Sam  McDonald,  DFMS  Director  of  Mission.  

The  major  purpose  of  the  first  mee7ng  was  an  orienta7on  for  the  Board,  a  7me  for  the  new  Board  to  get  to  know  each  other  and  to   begin   to   work   together   for   the   good   and   beFerment   of   UTO.   Connie   Skidmore   spent   much   7me   with   the   Board   on  Parliamentary  Prac7ces  and  Roberts  Rules  of   Order  as  well  as  orien7ng   the  Board  especially  the  new  members  to  UTO  Policies  and   Procedures.   Sam  McDonald  met   the  Board   and   shared  his  philosophy   on   life,   rela7onships,   percep7ons   and   reality,   and  reconcilia7on.  Ul7mately  through  UTO  gils  we  all  are  helping  others  and  reconciling  the  world  through  the  Love  of  Jesus  Christ.  Sam  was  inspiring  as  well  as  encouraging.

UTO  President,  Sarita  Redd,  from  Oklahoma  City,  will  con7nue  to  serve  in  that  office  for  the  next  three  years.  Officers  elected  at  the  first  mee7ng,  Anne  Gordon  Curran,  Vice  President,  Virginia;  Lois  Johnson  Rodney,  Finance  Officer,  New  York  and  Renee  Haney,  Secretary,  Texas.  President  Redd  announced  the  commiFee  assignments  which  are:  Communica7on  CommiFee  Convener,  Robin  Woods   Sumners;   Con7nuing   Review   CommiFee   Convener,   Georgie  White;   Covenant   Network   CommiFee   Convener,   Blanca  Echeverry;  Diocesan  Network  CommiFee  Convener,  Barbara  Schafer;  ECW/UTO  Joint  CommiFee  Convener,  Marcie  Chérau;  Face  to  Face  CommiFee  Convener,  Renee  Haney;  Finance  CommiFee  Convener,  Lois  Johnson  Rodney;  and  Grant  CommiFee  Convener,  Barbi  Tinder.

On  Saturday,  September  8,  2012,  the  Board  traveled  to  the  Oakerhater  Episcopal  Center  in  Watonga,  Oklahoma.    This  UTO  grant  site  received  a  sizable  award  to  preserve  the  Oakerhater  Dance  Grounds.    The  Board  received  an  invita7on  to  process  from  the  holy  grounds  of  the  Oakerhater  Episcopal  Center  to  the  nave  of  the  Whirlwind  Mission  of  the  Holy  Family  Episcopal  Church.    They  witnessed  a  meaningful  Eucharist  and  Bap7smal  Service,  received  hand  beaded  crosses,  served  a  lovely  Na7ve  American  dinner,  toured   the  storage  barn  and  observed   the  Twenty-­‐Sixth  Annual  Na7ve  American  Celebratory  Dance  in  honor  of   The  Reverend  David  Pendleton  Oakerhater,  a  saint  from  Oklahoma  in  Holy  Women,  Holy  Men.

The   Board   aFended   church   service   on   Sunday,   September   9,   2012,  at   Santa  Maria  Virgen   Episcopal   Church,  Oklahoma  City,  Oklahoma.    Each  Board  member  was  presented  a  rose  and  hand  wriFen  acknowledgement  from  the  youth  in  recogni7on  and  gra7tude   for   the  UTO  gils  and  service   to   the  greater  church.  The  Board  members  were  also   guests  for   lunch  and  fellowship  following  the  service.

The   new   grant   cycle   was   announced.   Grant   informa7on   will   be   posted   November   1,   2012;   on   January   1,   2013   the   online  applica7on  will  be  available  and  the  gran7ng  period  will  run  un7l  February  28,  2013.  A  new  Logo  has  been  developed  and  will  be  displayed  in  the  ensuing  months  through  new  leFerhead  and  the  “Blue  Box.”

Sarita Redd

Anne Gordon Curran

Lois Johnson Rodney

Renee Haney

Barbi Tinder

Story by Marcie Cherau, Province IV Representative

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

UTO Change 9

United Thank Offering RebornGrace Church and St.Stephen’s Colorado Springs, ColoradoA story by Nel Benton-Hough, UTO Coordinator, Grace Churchand UTO Coordinator Diocese of Colorado

Grace   and   St.  Stephen’s  Episcopal   Church  will   participate  in   the  United   Thank  Offering  with  a   fall   and  spring  ingathering  for   the   first  time  in  many  years.  The  United  Thank  Offering  is  a  program  of  the  Episcopal  Church   for   the  mission  of  the  whole  Church,  founded  by  and   administered   by  women   since   1889.  The  mission   of   the   United   Thank   Offering   is   to   expand   the   circle   of   thankful   people:   to  encourage  and  raise  the  consciousness  of  the  whole  church  to  the  daily  discipline  of  offering  thanks  to  God  and  gifts  of  thanksgiving.  

These  gifts  of   thanksgiving-­‐coins  and  bills  placed  in  the  UTO  Blue  Boxes–from  each   individual   are  combined  with   others  at  the  parish  and   diocesan  celebrations  and  lastly  with   the  whole  Episcopal  Church.  Each  year   the  gifts  are  given   as  grants  for   projects  throughout  the  Anglican   Communion.  These   grants   continue  to   support   and   strengthen   the  mission   and  ministry  of   the  Church   throughout   the  world.  

The  first  United   Thank  Offering  was   in  1889.  It   began  as  part  of  Missionary  efforts  of   the  Women’s  Auxiliary  to  the  Board  of  Mission,  authorized   by  the   General   Convention   in   1871.   Julia   Emery,   secretary   to   the  Women’s   Auxiliary,   and   Ida   Soule   inspired   women   to  connect   giving  thanks  and  giving  money  with  the  intention  of  building  a  new  church   in  Anvik,  Alaska  and  sending  a  woman  missionary  to  Japan.  At  the  1889  Triennial  Meeting,  the  united  offering  was  $2,188.64  and  accomplished  those  purposes.  

Now   each   parish   has   a  UTO   coordinator,   as   does   each   diocese.Coordinators   assure   that   the   offering   travel   to   the   correct   place   to  become  part  of  the  funds  to  be  granted  each  year.    Originally,  a  national  UTO  committee,  approved  at  the  1970  Triennial,  was  selected  each   triennium   and   included   representatives   from   the  nine  provinces  of   the   Episcopal   Church  and   three   at   large   elected  members.  The  UTO  committee  establishes   and   publishes   goals,   guidelines  and   criteria   for   grants.   Since  1989,   committee   expenses  have   been  paid  through  trust  fund  earnings.  100%  of  every  coin   and  dollar   of   the  offerings  is  granted  out!   In  2009,  the  UTO  Committee  became  the  United  Thank  Offering  Board  of   the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  (known   to  most  as  The  Episcopal  Church.)  The  work  of  UTO  is  supported  by  two  staff  members  at  the  Church  Center,  815  Second  Avenue  in  New  York.  

Since  2000,  UTO  has  granted  funds  requested  to  Diocese  of   Colorado   of  $227,979.00.  For  you   to   get   an   idea  of  what   the  grants  were  for,  here   is   a  summary  of  some  of  the   ten   grants:  purchased  a   15  passenger   van   to   transport   homeless  people   to   jobs,  medical  and  other  appointments;  conversion   of   an   historic   rectory  to  be  a  fully  accessible   community  center;  helped  to  build   a  library   in  Malawi  and   shipped   a  container   full   of  books;  plumbing   to   expand   water   for   a   community  giving  garden;   construction   of  a  new  wing  of  St.  Paul’s   school,  which   added   a  bathroom  with   running  water   in  Haiti;  expanded   a  kitchen   to   serve  community  meals;  development  of  Godly  Play  in   Spanish;  responding   to   survivors  of  sexual   abuse  and   training   of   faith  communities   about   the  spiritual   needs   of   these  people;  and  expansion  of  music  component  of  an  afternoon  and  summer  program  for  at  risk  children.  

I  am  deeply  grateful   to  God  for   each   of  you   in  the  Grace  and  St.  Stephen’s  Episcopal  Church   family.  It   is  indeed  a  good  and   right   thing  to   give  praise  and   thanks   to   God,  always.  Please   consider   stuffing   your   nickels,  dimes,  quarters   and  dollar   bills   into  UTO  boxes,  as  a  way  of  giving  thanks  to  God  and  sharing  of  your  blessings.  

Diocese  of  Colorado  Grants  have  included  Godly  Play  Training  in  Spanish;  a  library  for  the  companion  Diocese  of  Malawi;  environmental  educaAon  through  St.  Brigit's  Garden;  a  cafeteria  for  a  Colorado  HaiA  Project  children’s  school

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

10 UTO Change

LEARNING  THE  VALUE  OF  AN  ORDERLY  BOARDA  perspec>ve  from  Connie  Skidmore;  UTO  Board  Parliamentarian

  What  could  St.  Paul  and  Robert's  Rules  of  Order  possibly  have  in  common?    1Corinthians  14:33  states,  "For  God  is  not  a  God  of  disorder,  but  of  peace";  1  Corinthians  14:40  adds,  "But  everything  shall  be  done  in  a  fi{ng  and  orderly  way".    Paul,  of  

course,  speaks  about  Chris7an  conduct  one  with  another.    Robert's  Rules  of  Order  (RONR)  is  a  book  wriFen  to  address  orderly  and  proper  conduct  within  socie7es  and  organiza7ons.    The  basic  objec7ve  is  the  same  -­‐  our  individual  and  corporate  behavior.

  The   new   United   Thank   Offering   Board   recently  met   for   its   orienta7on  which  included  a  complete  reading  and  review  of   it's  governing  documents  with  aFending  Board  members.     Included   in   the  review  were  the  Bylaws  of   the  UTO  Board,  the  Board's  Policies  and  Procedures,  its  Orienta7on  Handbook,  and  several  Board   CommiFee   handbooks.     Par7cipa7on   on   the   UTO   Board,   as   on   any  organiza7on's   governing   body,   requires   a   thorough   understanding   and  commitment  to  adhere  to  its  governing  documents.    Thus,  a  Board  is  introduced  to  what   rules   it  will  follow,  what   responsibili7es  it   is   to   undertake  and  in  what  manner  each  Board  member  is  expected  to  be  in  compliance.

  In  addi7on,   it   is  necessary   to   establish  mee7ng  procedures  to  carry  out  the  business  of   the  UTO   Board  -­‐   which  is  where  a  parliamentary   authority   and  specially  adopted  rules  of  order  are  u7lized.    The  UTO  Board  has  adopted  the  use  of   the   current   edi7on  of   Robert's  Rules  of   Order   Newly   Revised   in   its  Bylaws.    Therefore,  it   is  necessary  for  all  Board  members  to  become  familiar  with  RONRs  basic   parliamentary   procedure.     This   includes   learning   how   to  make  mo7ons,  debate,  offer  amendments  to  mo7ons,  correctly  present  commiFee  reports,  and  gain  knowledge  of  other  proper  mee7ng   e7queFe,  all  of  which   contribute  to  a  produc7ve  and  orderly  Board.

  T he   Un i t ed   T h ank   Offe r i n g   Boa rd  Parliamentarian,   schooled   in   RONR,   par7cipates   in  the   Board   orienta7on   and   is   involved   in   leadership  training.     She   works   closely   with   the   UTO   Board  President  on  mee7ng   protocol  and   is     charged  with  seeing  that   the  tools  of   parliamentary  procedure,  as  put  forth  in  RONR,  are  used  by  Board  members  in  all  their  mee7ngs.    

  Thus,   the   2012-­‐2015   United   Thank   Offering  Board  is  engaged  in  learning  many  things  as  it  moves  forward   into   this   triennium,   most   especially   about  how  to  become  a  well  organized,  purposeful  and  hard  working  Board.

Here is some fun news from Iowa. I have a tale I hope you will share with all the province coordinators and I hope they in turn share it with the diocesan coordinators.

I'm embarrassed to tell you that at Diocesan Convention 2010 a grand total of $14 and change was thankfully dropped in the UTO boxes on the delegate and visitor tables in the plenary session room.   How ridiculous is that?  Our usual convention ingathering was in the $250 range. 

I talked with my bishop over the summer and we came up with a plan.   At Bishop Scarfe's place on the dais was a UTO box containing plenty of coins, which he rattled 3 times during the two-day convention.  I wrote three UTO facts, which his assistant included in his copy of the agenda.   He read these while waiting for people to get to the microphone, etc. 

On the delegate and visitor tables were UTO boxes—but not the boxes you are picturing.  I cut 4" x 1" slits in 38 shoe

boxes and my spouse and I spray painted them blue.  I was allotted five minutes to talk about UTO.   I did not have a citation to present; it was Sat. afternoon. I used 3 min, reminding attendees that while the benefit of thankful living is UTO offering life enhancing grants, the real benefit is the discipline of living in gratitude.  Then I announced that the Fri. ingathering was over $600 (we finished out convention with $900 total being given) and we prayed the UTO prayer.

Lessons learned: 1)   Marketing works; 2)  Bishop Scarfe making 3 brief announcements works;3)   Larger opening in the box invited bills; 4)   $28 (4 cans) of spray paint was a worthwhile investment! 5)   When the UTO box is redesigned the slip must be much larger to accommodate/invite paper money! (And, Monday morning I received an email from a 24-year-old who is a member of a brand new parish asking to be their UTO coordinator.)

Autumn blessings to you.   Kate Rose. UTO Coordinator, Diocese of Iowa

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESES!

Love can build a bridge between your heart and mine-- Love can build a bridge--Don’t you think it’s time? Don’t you think it’s time?

The Judds 1990

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

UTO Change 11

InformaAon  Please    When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember well, the

polished old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it. Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person--her name was "Information, Please" and there was nothing she did not know. "Information, Please" could supply anybody's number and the correct time.

My first personal experience with this genie-in the-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information, Please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear, "Information." "I hurt my finger," I wailed into the phone. The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience. "Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me." I blubbered. "Are you bleeding?" the voice asked. "No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts." "Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could. "Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.

After that, I called "Information, Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk, that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called "Information, Please" and told her the sad story. She listened, then said the usual things grown-ups say to soothe a child, but I was inconsolable. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?" She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone. "Information, Please." "Information," said the now familiar voice. "How do you spell fix?" I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information, Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home, and I somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall.

As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me. Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about half an hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information, Please." Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information."

I hadn't planned this but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"

There was a long pause. Then came the soft-spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed. "So it's really still you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"

"I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me? I never had any children, and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

"Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered, "Information." I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" she asked. "Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. "Sally has been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."

Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Did you say your name was Paul?" "Yes," I replied. "Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you."

The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean." I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on others. Whose life have you touched today?

 Original  Story  by  Paul  Villiard  First  Published  in  Reader’s  Digest    June,  1966,  

retold  here  by  Barbara  Schafer;  Province  VIII-­‐-­‐Spiritual  Editor

Type to enter text

U N I T E D T H A N K O F F E R I N G

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September  5  -­‐  10,  2012                                          Board  MeeAng                                                  St.  Crispin’s  Conference  Center                                    Diocese  of  Oklahoma                                                                                                                                                                            First  Organizing  MeeAng  of  Triennium

January  1  -­‐  February  28,  2013                      Grant  Applica@ons  Accepted  On  Line

January  18-­‐22,  2013                                                        Board  MeeAng                                                    Duncan  Conference  Center                          Diocese  of  Southeast  Florida                                 Grant  Training  MeeAng

March  7-­‐10,  2013                                                                Grants  CommiJee  MeeAng                                                                                                                                                                    Diocese  of  Atlanta                                                                 Grant  ApplicaAon  Review

March  14-­‐15,  2013                                                            Members-­‐At-­‐Large  MeeAng                                                                                        The  Episcopal  Church  Center,  New  York

April  3-­‐6.  2013                                                                          Episcopal  Communicators  Conference                                                                                                                      San  Diego,  California

May  2-­‐7,  2013                                                                            Board  MeeAng                                                        Roslyn  Conference  Center                                                          Diocese  of  Virginia                                                               Grant  Awards  MeeAng        June  ,  2013                                                                      Grant  Awards  Announced

July  26-­‐28,  2013                                                                    Face  to  Face  Workshop                        Camp  Allen                                                                                                                    Diocese  of  Texas                                                                       Diocesan  Coordinator  Training

Sept  26  -­‐30,  2013                                                                Board  MeeAng                                                            Rolling  Ridge  Conf  Center                              Diocese  of  MassachuseJs                                                     2014  and  Triennial  Planning

UNITED THANK OFFERING BOARD CALENDAR

UTO ChangeFall 2012

Photography by Barbi Tinder -2012