The meeting was called to order by Charles Foster. A proposal to adopt the agenda as present was moved, seconded and approved.

Foster expressed his appreciation and thanks for all the work that happens behind the scenes of the Association and annual meetings. Foster thanked Padraic O’Hare for helping APRRE move through some difficult transitions with renewed spirit and financial stability. Barry Calhoun [?] was recognized for his ongoing efforts in preparing REA and APRRE documents for archiving at Yale. Thanks were given to Avis Clendenen, Judith Johnson-Siebold, forum presenters, research interest group presenters and facilitators, and task force leaders for their contributions to the program. Special thanks were also given to Allen Moore, Alan Smith, and Sara Lee for leadership of worship. Appreciation was also given to the Lilly Endowment for underwriting special features of the program.

Copies of the Proposed Membership Policies were distributed to members and Foster read through the proposal. He explained that part of the purpose of the proposal was to clarify issues to help interpret the Association to others in the new membership brochure. Charles Melchert moved to adopt the proposal and it was seconded from the floor. It was observed from the floor that expanding the mailings to five was ambitious and questioned if that was feasible in terms of time and money. Melchert responded that it was feasible financially because of savings realized by using bulk mailing rates in the future. In terms of time, it is feasible because it involves more of a redistribution of materials to make the information more timely rather than creating new information. Also, increased computerization is saving time and effort. Melchert added that the dates for the mailing would roughly be mid-month. A recommendation was made to add "1.E. Member rate for conference registration" to the proposal and this was adopted. The motion for the membership policies passed by voice vote without objection.

Ted Brelsford reported that twenty students met this year, by far the largest group to date. The group discussed a format for future meetings and appointed a planning committee: ___ Baker, Ron Ander, Dacy Jane, Barbara Rodman [names?]. Baker will serve as the contact for the Executive Committee. The Caucus would like to invite faculty to talk with the group about their experiences of interviewing and search processes for faulty positions.

Melchert explained that members, particularly international members, have been asking about paying dues and registration with Visa or Mastercard. This would cost 3.5% per transaction, a monthly fee, and an initial start-up fee. The individual cost would be between $3.50 and $4.50 per member per year. The cost of the service must be distributed across the membership, fees charges only to users of the service is not allowed by law. The basic question is whether dues should be raised to cover the convenience of the service.

Points that were raised from the floor included: arranging payments so only one check was necessary to the Association would help international members, international checks involve a fee plus the exchange rate, moving to a charge card option will have to happen sooner or later, need to find ways not to pass additional costs to students, some felt that the cost for and the number benefiting from the service was not reasonable, domestic memberships could be raised by $1 and international memberships decreased by $10 to offset exchange.

Foster requested a straw vote to guide the Executive Committee’s decision. By a show of hands the ratio "in favor" to "against" the charge card option was about two to one. After the vote it was suggested that the REA charge account could be utilized and that principles of stewardship be kept with the business dimensions of the decision.

Melchert thanked O’Hare for his support and cooperation in the transition between Executive Secretaries. He also thanked Don Williams for teaching the Association how to organize meetings and for his establishment of the Travel Fund. O’Hare has been matching contributions to the Fund and using his honorarium for Executive Secretary to establish a fund for student and membership services. Melchert indicated that he was proud to follow these persons as Executive Secretary.

Special thanks were given to Charles Foster for the quality of the program which was affirmed with applause. Melchert also thanked Randy Litchfield for secretarial service.

A conversation was initiated last summer with executive members of NAPCE during their meeting in Chicago. The meeting had a good spirit of cooperation. There are presently about twenty persons who are members of both APRRE and NAPCE. The idea of a joint meeting in 1997 was discussed. The idea would be to share a location but each organization have its own program with the option that people could go and forth between meetings. The intent of the idea is to keep conversation between the groups alive. Dennis Williams, NAPCE’s executive administrator, was very cooperative.

Melchert and Mary Boys, with Hanan Alexander and Sara Lee, met with the Network of Jewish Educators. They led a plenary that was well received. Conversations about a joint meeting with NJE in 1997 or 1998 were initiated. NJE would have to move their meeting dates to do this. The design would be similar to that proposed for NAPCE. There was agreement that joint meeting could be very valuable.

Committees will be appointed to oversee the Padraic O’Hare Fund and the Travel Fund which have grown because $1,000 in contributions have been made in celebration of the 25th anniversary of APRRE. These should facilitate better mentoring and assistance to younger members. Proposals regarding management of the funds should be ready for adoption at the next meeting.

A committee will be appointed to study ways that all the papers delivered at the annual meeting can be published in some form without undermining the importance of the Religious Education journal.

Melchert reminded persons to use the meeting evaluation form to provide feedback, particularly about the forums. What was bad, good, needing modification in the program.

Melchert requested that the names of people leading Task Forces, Men’s and Women’s Breakfasts, and Denominational Caucuses be given to him.

Appreciation and applause were given to Foster for his work on the conference.

Melchert indicated that the financial report covered a period in which half of the time was under O’Hare’s supervision and half under Melchert’s. [Report Attached] He said that the present fiscal year planning cycle was awkward and he would like to start budgeting a year in advance. An audit of the financial record during O’Hare’s service has been completed and everything is in order. Actually, the Association had $2000 more than was on the books.

In regards to the proposed budget, Melchert reported that it replicated previous budgets with some adjustments. [Budget Proposal Attached] Estimated membership income was shifted down to be more realistic. There were 156 persons registered for this year’s meeting (the highest in five years) and present renewals stand between 240 and 245. Increases in expenditures include a one time expense for archiving material and for production of a new brochure about the Association. Old brochures are out of date and out of stock. Another increase in expense is to increase support of the Religious Education journal. In the past year a one time payment of $1,500 was given to the journal to offset REA cuts in the journal’s budget. One quarter of the journal is dedicated to APRRE material and one quarter of the journal’s budget would be $10,000. Past APRRE budgets contribute $6,000 to the journal. This year’ budget calls for $7,500 to the journal and inclusion of inflationary increases in the future. Future budgets may need to gradually increase to reach the one quarter level of the journal’s budget.

Foster reported that the stipend for the Executive Secretary was also increased in consideration of the position’s increased work load and the absence of increases in the past. He also reported that the budget’s negative balance is an exception to the Executive’s Committee’s commitment to balanced budgets.

Joseph Crockett requested that the financial report and budget be combined so that changes in the budget could be more readily visible. Melchert reported that the $1,000 given in celebration of the 25th anniversary is not in the financial report because the funds came in after the end of the fiscal year. The budget was passed by voice vote without objection.

Fayette Veverka that the next meeting will be in New Orleans in response to requests to meet with AAR/SBL. The meeting will be concurrent with AAR/SBL beginning at Sunday noon on November 22 and ending at noon on Tuesday. It will also be conjoint with REA--common plenaries but separate sessions otherwise. Negotiations are underway with hotels. The location should be within ten blocks of the AAR meeting with room rates comparable to this year’s. New Orleans should offer better food and more restaurants.

Given the location, Veverka shared that "Party" and "Sin" were considered as themes but she settled on "The Congregation as Educator." This theme gives opportunities to consider issues of practice and a common ground for researchers and practitioners. She would like to explore the material conditions in which we educate and crises of institutional structures.

There will be three foci. One will be on the nature of congregations, assemblies and parish life with attention to the dynamics of communal life. A second will be developing more effective strategies to work with congregations. How are religious educators catalysts for congregational life? The third deals with how congregations are related to their larger culture and how they are mediating structures in that culture. This has implications for connections with public education.

Several comments were made from the floor. A concern that adequate housing would be available since AAR/SBL is so large was expressed. Melchert responded that block reservations for APRRE only would be made. He reminded persons that they must pay the $75 AAR/SBL fee to attend that meeting. Thomas Groome shared that he loved this year’s program but did not like having Forums and Research Interest Groups at the same time. Other dislikes included late breakfast meetings and the burden of coming early because denominational meetings were scheduled early. Hanan Alexander observed that next year’s meeting will be a challenge of making connections. APRRE will be trying to relate to practitioners in REA and academics in AAR/SBL and may not make a good impression on either. Sessions will need to have good intellectual rigor. He also suggested that some type of joint plenary with AAR be planned.

Sherry Blumberg nominated Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore for President Elect and Sara Lee, William Rogers, and Anne Wimberly for the Executive Committee. Foster called for nominations from the floor and there were none. The ballot was approved by voice vote without objection and was followed by applause for the newly elected.

Janet Fishburn’s retirement was shared by Marvin Carr. Fishburn retired as Dean of the Drew School of Theology. Doris Jean Dyke was shared by Greer Anne Ng. Dyke retired from Emmanual College where she was the first woman appointed to the faculty. She will continue to teach on a guest basis. Applause was given to both women.

Foster gave his appreciation to Sherry Blumberg, Anabel Proffitt, and Robert Reber who are ending their terms on the Executive Committee.

Alexander reported that Religious Education has an opening for an associate editor with responsibility for the Forum section of the journal. Elizabeth Nolan expressed appreciation for the people and publishers who provided the book displays. Jack Seymour commented that the book displays at the AAR are usually weak in the area of religious education and members need to get the message to publishers to strengthen their displays.

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted,
Randy G. Litchfield
Secretary