By UTO Executive Committee

The pandemic has changed a lot of things for The Episcopal Church; perhaps one of the biggest ways that it has changed is seen through the smaller scale of General Convention this summer in Louisville, Kentucky. For those of us at UTO, there is a loss: For the second time since 1889, there will not be an Ingathering Service at General Convention. We hope that it might return at the 2027 convention in Phoenix, Arizona. There is also much rejoicing; our presence at convention will be very intentional and deep in Kentucky. We’re looking forward to having our booth be a gathering and learning site about gratitude, with some really fantastic swag.

We’ve got some friends visiting us in the booth whom we think you’ll love getting to meet if you’re there. Perhaps the biggest joy is helping with the children’s program. Our Board will be present at the ECW (Episcopal Church Women) Triennial (come see us at our UTO table), DOK (Daughters of the King) Triennial (come visit our table in the DOK exhibit hall), and for hearings at General Convention. Due to the shortened schedule, we only have two workshops we want to invite the general public at Convention to join us for this year. There is no registration required for these workshops, so come as you are able!

Grant Writing 101
Thursday, June 27, from 10-11 a.m.
Hyatt Conference Room (UTO Office – inside the front door, first room to the right)
Researching and writing grant applications is a daunting task, but once you learn some simple tips and tricks, you can easily navigate the world of nonprofit grant writing. Join us to talk about ways to find funding for your ministry ideas (including, but not limited to, funding from The Episcopal Church), and how to best present those ideas to funding agencies. As a bonus, we’ll also send you home with the UTO grant application for 2025.

What’s New With UTO?
Thursday, June 27, from 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Hyatt Conference Room (UTO Office – inside the front door, first room to the right)
Bring your lunch and come hear about all the new things happening with UTO, from free formation resources to upcoming events the Board is planning for the 2024-2027 triennial. We also hope you’ll come with questions and ideas of ways we can better support your congregation in practicing gratitude. We’ll have some fun giveaways for those who join us.

Sign Up to Help Pick Up Blue Boxes at Convention
Perhaps one of the most important things we do at General Convention is collect the thank offerings of our amazing deputies/alternates, bishops, and triennial delegates/alternates. It takes less than 30 minutes, and you’ll get to meet other UTO members and join a tradition dating back to the early 1900s. Use the link above to sign up for a spot. Everyone who volunteers will get a thank-you gift in the mail after convention. Please email Heather with any questions, but the site also has a longer description regarding this important role.

UTO Leaders Event, June 25, from 5:15-6:30 p.m.
Register here
Please join us on Tuesday, June 25, from 5:15–6:30 p.m. at UTO’s reception for all parish and diocesan leaders. UTO wants to thank you all for your generous and faithful work and provide an opportunity to meet and share ideas with other UTO leaders. There will also be a resource recycling table at the event, so please bring any current resources you have but no longer need so they can be redistributed to someone who does want them. There will not be a formal presentation, but there will be some announcements, so you may come and go as you please and just enjoy time chatting and learning with other UTO leaders and some of the current and incoming UTO Board members.

Bulk UTO Material Pickup
In order to save on costs, UTO is not bringing a ton of materials to convention. With that said, we imagine we will have extras of things for UTO members and leaders to carry home. If you would like to take home materials, please wait until June 27 and then come to the booth before it closes at 2 p.m. or to the UTO office (except during the workshops) to pick up materials. Please see the next article for information on ordering Spanish language materials.