Stand Firm by Timothy Fountain 

United Thank Offering - Medicine OUT, Gun Control IN

 

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Our diocesan office just circulated an email with the new application criteria for the United Thank Offering,recently taken over by denominational staff after 125 years of management by a volunteer board of the Episcopal Church Women.  While the Episcopal Church’s Executive Council recently lamented the“breakdown in communication” which led to the takeover, it’s now full speed ahead with a whole new UTO.

You can look at the new criteria here and in gorier detail here.

Among highlights, this stuff is OUT,

The United Thank Offering will not fund:
project site/programs two consecutive years
capital campaigns or debt reductions
deferred maintenance (repairs or upgrades to the physical plant or facility must be tied to the
specific ministry or project of the current application)
operational budgets (meaning the proposed budget and program is the same as the year
before)
debts obligated or incurred before the date of the grant award
purchase of consumable items (e.g., food, medicine, paper goods, toiletries, fuel, etc.)
scholarships, tuition, camp fees, and attendance incentives
emergency response

Here are the 2013 grants.  Interesting to go through with a red pen and see how many would be out of bounds in the new plan.

GUESS WHAT’S IN?

to transform unjust structures of society,
to challenge violence of every kind
and to pursue peace and reconciliation

“Challenge violence of every kind” is code for GUN CONTROL.  And if you find the October 27th entry before it disappears, here is an offering from an Episcopal Church out west,

THE ROOTS OF OUR VIOLENCE: CULTURAL, PERSONAL, SCRIPTURAL
Sunday, October 27, 5:00pm
Epiphany is hosting a public forum addressing the roots of violence in our society, with special focus on gun violence. All are invited to attend!

That’s right, the UTO is now a fund for political advocacy and single issue activists.

Also in are

Joy Expressing Love and Peace through the Arts

and… ah, go to the link yourselves.  Or just guess the buzzwords.  It’s a General Convention/single party government fantasy land.

Meanwhile, the UTO board members who were protesting this whole mess appear to have thrown in the towel.  Their blog’s been stone silent since a conciliatory little post back on October 21st.