post-Convention Apology and Correction

In my email and blog from General Convention on Sunday, June 18 I reported something that was untrue and I want to make an apology and a correction. I passed along an unsubstantiated rumor that the Bishops of Dallas and Fort Worth had told their diocesan ECW's not to participate in the Triennial and that was why there was no representative from those dioceses present to present a check at the Triennial UTO Ingathering service. That was incorrect.

The Diocese of Fort Worth had representatives to the Triennial who had to leave before the UTO service on Saturday. The Diocese of Dallas does not have a functioning ECW or UTO chair right now and did not have representatives attending the Triennial, but Dallas has contributed over $25,000 to the UTO. The vacancies in the Dallas ECW and UTO are not because of any directive from their Bishop. I apologize to both Bishops and to both dioceses. Bishop Jim Stanton is a long-time friend whom I love and admire very much. It would have been easy to check out that rumor with him or his staff or deputation (several friends there too). I feel very bad about the misinformation.

Let me make a plug for the United Thank Offering, a major outreach ministry of the Women of the Church. The tradition is that you keep a "blue box" in a convenient location, and every time something happens that you are thankful for, you offer an outward and visible sign of your thanksgiving by placing a coin or bill in the box. Many parishes have a UTO fall ingathering on the Sunday closest to All Saints' Day and a spring ingathering on the Sunday after Ascension. You can give your UTO money to your parish or diocese at any time and they will send it in, usually through the diocese. Nearly $3 million was granted last year through the UTO.

Lowell
The Rev. Lowell Grisham
Arkansas Deputy to General Convention