Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2013 Issue | Page 29

Pocket Change, Enormous Impact
Anne Gordon Curran
The United Thank Offering ministry of the Episcopal Church
funds mission through gifts of coins and spare change
dropped in a small blue box as a token of thanks. The Blue
Box receives and gives blessings that change peoples’ lives.

“Theology of Thankfulness,” the report of a special
General Convention task force, describes the relevance of
thankfulness for Christians: “Thankfulness, when embodied,
nourishes our being and in turn allows us to offer it not only
to God but to incorporate it in our daily life.” In this way,
UTO challenges us to express our faith more openly and
earnestly as we live into God’s call for us to be thankful and
open ourselves to His grace and love, becoming catalysts for
others to be appreciative.

The Blue Box is a concrete reminder that the practice of
faith should be present in our daily lives. It is placed in homes
and offices, wherever we live and pray, and offers a moment
in our busy lives to stop and appreciate both small and large
blessings. The Blue Box is a symbol of our thankfulness. It
also is a receptacle which moves us forward to mission in
the Church in the world. This little box transitions a simple
acknowledgement to a tangible outcome. UTO grants
support programs defined by compelling human need. In
turn we receive thanks from the hearts of thousands of
people whose lives are changed. UTO is a practice of faith
which begins in the home and reaches out into the world.
When thousands of Episcopalians pray and offer coins in this
way, the impact is enormous.

The collection of coins occurs at semi-annual
ingatherings in churches. UTO is the largest funding source
for mission in the Episcopal Church, but for many years the

gap between collected Blue Box giving and grant requests
has remained in the millions of dollars. As a granting source
in the larger Anglican Communion, we are not able to
support many requests each year.

How can you help to engage more people to incorporate
this ministry which uses 100 percent of the gifts for mission?
• Recognize the simplicity of UTO and the power of prayer.

• Know that everyone can participate, especially children

and youth.
• Have twice yearly church ingatherings where Blue Box gifts

are collected, blessed, celebrated and sent to Diocesan
Coordinators.
• Know that UTO is a small change ministry and does not

interfere with stewardship as it is not a part of peoples’
budgets.
• Look for mission projects which might benefit from UTO

grants and submit an application online in January.
• Keep the Blue Box prayer ministry present in churches all

year long.
• Invite diocesan coordinator Cindy Helton to speak to your

congregation or church group.
• Discover how UTO engages people to participate more

actively in church ministry.
• Say the UTO pr