Updates from the UTO Formation and Development Committee

Note: Please order fall materials by Wednesday, Sept. 17. Orders will be filled and shipped the last week of September. Order your materials here.

This summer, we’ve been hard at work creating materials to help deepen your personal spiritual discipline of gratitude this fall, and we are so excited to share those with you now! From materials for a Blessing of the Backpacks to our new ordering process, many new things are happening.

Find all the details below along with information for how you might use the materials as a UTO member and/or leader. Please know that the changes to our fall formation programs are a direct result of the feedback you provided in our survey a few months ago, so there may still be some kinks to work out. If you have trouble with any links or webpages, please be in touch. As always, feedback is welcome at any time, and we’ll do a survey at the end of the program year.

Blessing of the Backpacks

At the beginning of August, we shared our new Blessing of the Backpack tags and prayer (in English and Spanish) that you can print locally (we’ve made the digital file so that it is easy to resize to fit any rectangular luggage tag you might be using) and use to kick off the school year. Each tag has room for any information that schools may have requested to be included on a backpack tag.

Ideas for Using the Blessing of the Backpacks Materials:

• For families – Use the prayer the night before school starts to mark the transition at home. You can print and use the tag for the backpack or tuck it into the name holder on the inside of the bag if your backpack has one.
• For congregations with children – Use the materials as part of your back-to-church or rally Sunday. Include some candy, pencils, or other school supplies to let children in your congregation know they are loved.
• For congregations without children – Turn the tags into an “angel tree” and use the lined side to list supplies or other items your local schools can use to help families in need. Often they need snacks, supplies, and socks, which are easy for members of your parish to pick up to support the community.

Fall Formation Materials for Adults: An Invitation to a Holy Autumn

This fall, UTO has created a time-flexible set of resources for adults to learn about and reflect on the Sabbath. These materials include a downloadable journal that includes Scripture, reflection, discussion/journal questions, and additional resources on topics such as keeping “a” Sabbath and keeping “the” Sabbath.

Ideas for Using the ‘Invitation to a Holy Autumn’ Materials:

• For Individuals: The downloadable journal can be used daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also order an individual kit from the shop to be sent to you at home.
• For parishes: These materials are a great formation program for fall. You can use them as part of a forum or adult education class. Again, you can decide how frequently you want to gather and use them. Since they are available digitally as well as to order from the shop, they are also a great way to connect members who worship with you via Zoom or in person. You can also find sample/editable newsletter articles and bulletin inserts in our digital kit, available in English and Spanish like all our fall materials.
• For Dioceses: Share these free resources with your congregations in your newsletter. For many small or rural parishes, finding resources for adult formation is challenging. These are free to download or have shipped to your door.

Fall Formation Materials for Kids: Gratitude Boredom Busters

One of the tricky things about being bored is that it often hard to shift out of the boredom mindset to a creative one. UTO has a list of fall boredom busters that help kids connect with their family and community through creativity and gratitude. 

Ideas for Using the Fall Materials for Families:

• For families: Order your individual kit in the shop or download materials online to have your boredom buster sheet. We’ll send it with scratch-off stickers to cover up the options (we’re leaving them uncovered so adults can review first what the options are) to make it more exciting to uncover and bust through the boredom.
• For congregations: Our boredom busters are meant to be used at home over the course of the fall, but not to worry. We’ve got a free formation lesson plan and an “All About Me” gratitude edition poster to make during your children’s formation time. All of this is free to download and can be used as a children’s sermon or a Sunday school lesson. You can order your materials in the shop or download them for free. We will include scratch-off stickers in the kits we mail out, but you will have to assemble them.
• For dioceses: These materials are great to offer to congregations or to use at an intergenerational gathering. 

Diocesan Convention Kits

Participating in your diocesan convention or meeting as a UTO representative is a fantastic opportunity for promoting UTO and also answering questions about gratitude practices and grants. Your success hinges not only on your presence at the event but also on the materials you bring for attendees.

Don’t worry, UTO has made it easy for you! You can now order a diocesan kit from the new UTO Shop and tailor it to your gathering’s size. The kits will contain brochures, Blue Boxes, stickers, small giveaways, and formation materials. You can order the diocesan convention kits via a simple Formstack here.

This year, UTO is introducing a thematic presentation for convention kits. It will feature interactive elements, like paper shapes resembling tree leaves or water droplets, each representing a past and present grant site in your diocese. Attendees will be invited to pray for these sites with a special prayer. This can also spark conversations, reminding others of impactful works in their community. UTO will provide stickers with a QR code that links to stories about the sites, allowing people to engage with them even after the event.

After your convention, take time to evaluate what worked and what didn’t. Assess how many items were distributed and which items garnered the most attention. Then give UTO your feedback. Given the targeted nature of the materials UTO will send you, new items will be added to the kit yearly. We welcome your suggestions!