Cheryl Dobrzynski has been appointed to the UTO Board as the Province V Rep. The appointment term is 3 years with the possibility of serving a second term. She said that she was surprised by Bishop Matt’s call 5 years ago to be Diocesan UTO Coordinator and was equally surprised to receive this call. “I look forward to learning even more about UTO and sharing that with others”. She also stated that it is an exciting time to be on the Board as UTO adapts to changes in how things are done in a post Covid world.

Diocesan UTO Coordinator Cheryl Dobrzynski is reminding congregations that the Fall UTO Ingathering in congregations is traditionally the Sunday closest to All Saints Day. So this year it is October 31st, the day after the Diocesan Convention. Not sure how to do an Ingathering, need materials, need a refresher? Contact Cheryl at [email protected].

2022 United Thank Offering grant application materials are now available. The focus of this year’s grants is Care of Creation: Turning love into action by caring for God’s creation to protect the most vulnerable—who will bear the largest burden of pollution and climate change—through justice, advocacy, environmental reparations, or the development of formation materials. 

Details about writing the grant are available here. If you are considering submitting a grant, please contact Diocesan UTO Coordinator Cheryl Dobrzynski as soon as possible at [email protected]. She will call you to discuss your thoughts and provide direction of how to proceed. Applications will not be accepted if Cheryl has not been consulted. The diocesan deadline (earlier than the national deadline) for submission is Friday, January 21, 2022 to allow the Bishop and Cheryl enough time to decide which application will be forwarded.

This year's Bishop's Annual Appeal calls for diocesan members to give to their congregation beyond normal giving, give to the United Thank Offering (UTO), and to pray. We are grateful for those who have given, and renew the appeal to give as you are able. We will announce the UTO gifts received at the diocesan Eucharistic Festival August 29 so encourage you to give to the United Thank Offering online. You may identify your diocese and congregation. Help us exceed any past totals and give to UTO today!

The United Thank Offering (UTO) 2020 Annual Grants process is now open. Grants are awarded for projects in The Episcopal Church and throughout the Anglican Communion, each year with a different focus. For 2020, the focus is Bless: Share faith, practice generosity and compassion, and proclaim the Good News of God in Christ with hope and humility.

Details about writing the grant are available here. If you are considering submitting a grant, please contact Diocesan UTO Coordinator Cheryl Dobrzynski as soon as possible at [email protected]. She will call you to discuss your thoughts and provide direction of how to proceed. Applications will not be accepted if Cheryl has not been consulted.

Each diocese is allowed to submit one application. The deadline to submit applications to the Diocesan Office for consideration is Thursday, February 6th. This allows the Bishop and Cheryl enough time to decide which application will be forwarded.

As we approach Thanksgiving, we are thankful for support shown by members of the diocese in two areas of outreach. The United Thank Offering will receive $378.33 collected in the blue UTO boxes on delegates' tables at our Diocesan Convention. These funds will be distributed through the UTO granting process. Learn more about UTO here.

Diocesan UTO Coordinator, Cheryl Dobrzynski, wants to let you know that 100% of funds collected by UTO are given away! Many wonder how UTO can give away 100 percent of what is collected and still offer Blue Boxes and other materials for free. Some funds come from the churchwide budget and other groups, but the majority comes from a trust created so UTO doesn't need to use Ingathering Funds to offset expenses. Would you like to give so 100% of contributions to UTO are given away? The support the Memorial Trust here.

T​he Diocese of Fond du Lac, the Episcopal Church in northeast Wisconsin, is pleased to announce the appointment of Cheryl Dobrzynski as Diocesan Coordinator of the United Thank Offering (UTO). The Diocesan Coordinator is charged to promote UTO activities in the diocese and encourage and support them in each diocesan congregation.
 
UTO is a ministry of the Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Individuals are invited to embrace and deepen a personal daily spiritual discipline of gratitude. Notice the good things that happen each day, give thanks to God for those blessings and make an offering for each blessing using a UTO Blue Box. UTO is entrusted to receive the offerings, and to distribute the 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout the Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
 
“We look forward to Cheryl’s working with congregations to raise awareness of UTO,” Bishop Matt Gunter shared. “Our goal is to have 100% of our congregations participating in UTO. How? Contact Cheryl, of course.” Dobrzynski follows Carol Feller-Gottard, who served in this volunteer position for over a decade.
 
Cheryl is a long-time member of St. Peter Episcopal Church, Sheboygan Falls, serving as Senior Warden, vestry member, Altar Guild and coordinator of a local monthly meal program. She is on the Cursillo Secretariat, enrolled in EfM (Education for Ministry), been a delegate to diocesan conventions, and was deputy to General Convention 2018.
 
For information on the United Thank Offering, visit diofdl.org/uto.

Diocesan United Thank Offering (UTO) Coordinator, Carol Feller Gottard, has announced the diocesan UTO Ingathering will take place during the Eucharistic Festival, June 30, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Fond du Lac. Representatives from each congregation are invited to bring an envelope with their local collection (or if your collection has already been sent, an envelope noting such) to drop into the big blue box just prior to the passing of the peace. Questions about details may be directed to Carol. Read more about UTO at diofdl.org/uto.

The Coordinator also announced this as her last UTO action as she will no longer be serving as diocesan coordinator. "I have loved doing this ministry," she wrote in a letter to the congregations, "and have more than enjoyed working with all of the thankful people in this diocese.  May God’s Blessings be upon you always."