Our standing ovation at the completion of the 2003 H. Paul Douglass Lecture, delivered by Otto Maduro, encapsulates for me the tone of our meetings in Norfolk, Virginia. It was a challenging, carefully crafted address, offered in Otto’s unique blend of scholarship and personal passion. Like many, I will be waiting with much anticipation for it to appear in print in our own Review of Religious Research.

Norfolk was a very pleasant location for our meetings, even if it was a bit difficult to get there and back. The hotel had good facilities, and nearby restaurants offered a range of cuisine. Some of us even chose to have a meal in an elegant, refurbished abbey, where our conversations bounced off walls that had many of their own stories to tell.

At our board meeting, we recognized our past-president, D. Paul Johnson, for his many years of exemplary service, both as editor of the journal, and most recently, as president. As I presented him with a Jamaican hand-crafted serving tray, I thanked Paul for the years he has served our organization so well in a variety of capacities.

Next year our meetings will be held in Kansas City at the Marriott Country Club Plaza. Mark the dates-October 22-24, 2004-on your calendar and plan to attend. Better yet, begin by noting the January 16 in your mind as the date to send John Bartkowski your session proposal. For those who like to wait ’til Spring, the deadline for the receipt of paper proposals is March 15.

The 2002 program theme was Religion and Contemporary Culture: Exploring the Intersections of Religious Research

View the program of the 2003 meeting -coming