The meeting was convened at 5:30 P.M. by President Dean Hoge and the twenty-eight persons attending introduced themselves.

President Hoge announced the results of the 1980 elections: David O. Moberg, President-Elect; James D. Davidson, Chair, Development Committee; David Roozen, Chair, Program Committee (1982 Meeting); Barbara Hargrove, Chair, Nominating Committee; C. Kirk Hadaway and Jeffrey K. Hadden, Members, Nominating Committee; H. Newton Malony and Meredith B. McGuire, Directors at Large.

It was announced that Everett Perry was elected Treasurer of RRA at the Board of Directors Meeting held October 31, 1980 and Carl Dudley was appointed to fill the vacancy on the Board left when Perry became Treasurer.

Report of the Secretary.

Constant Jacquet distributed the Secretary's Report. Among other things, the report noted that 418 ballots for the 1980 election were mailed out and 208 returned by the September 30 deadline, a percentage return of 49.7. The number of ballots counted in 1980 was slightly higher than in 1979 when 179 were counted and much higher than in other recent years. A progress report on placing the RRA membership rolls on a word processor indicated that data received for this purpose indicated that 23% of RRA members were university staff, 22% were denominational or ecumenical agency staff and the rest (all under 10%) were scattered about between four-year colleges, seminaries, pastoral or specialized ministries, or student categories. RRA members are most likely to belong to the following other organizations: S.S.S.R. - 58%; A.S.A. - 40%; A.S.R. - 24%. It was moved and VOTED to accept the Secretary's report.

It was moved and VOTED to adopt the minutes of the 1979 Annual Meeting.

The Treasurer, Everett Perry, gave a report prepared by Edward Rauff, former Treasurer as of May 31, 1980. This report indicated a cash balance of $12,776; receipts of $15,586 and total expenses of $17,859. Perry said he didn't understand why it doesn't balance. He called attention to the list of Contributing and Supporting members and to the funders of the H. Paul Douglass Lecture.

Perry stated that the May 31, 1980 report shows a cash balance of $12,776 but does not indicate that there were unpaid bills of $4,763 as of that date. Since May 31, 1980 we have had income of approximately $8,700 and have disbursed about the same amount. Our unpaid bills amount to approximately $5,200. Since our assets are in a Certificate of Deposit (due November, 1981), the Board of Directors authorized the Treasurer to borrow up to $4,000 with the approval of the Chair of the Finance Committee. There is a cash flow problem which will be with us until the Spring or Fall of 1981. It was moved and VOTED to accept the report of the Treasurer.

Bill McKinney, Chair of the Finance Committee reported to the meeting that the cash flow problem was due to the fact that the RRA went into deficit in 1979-80 in order to promote development and prevent deficits in the future. It was discovered that RRA was carrying on the rolls many members who have not paid dues and this cost money because they were receiving mailings including the Review.

The Certificate of Deposit runs for six years at 68% and will come due in November 1981. With the measurers the Secretary described we should be able to resolve the problem of RRA finances. The H. Paul Douglass Lecture is a source of funds for the RRA and we hope to obtain support for it again this year. We are going to produce four issues of the Review with the fourth issue being paid for by outside support. We have adopted a balanced budget and expect to save money by changing auditors, on computer costs, on combined office assistance. It is hoped we can avoid an increase in dues for 1981-82.

Carl Dudley reported as Chair of the Development Committee and noted that there has been a shift in RRA membership to include people who are using research in the churches. A comment from the membership suggested that the Development Committee and Editor of the Review of Religious Research could promote special issues of the Review of interest to church conferences and that the churches could sponsor these issues. It was noted that it is RRA policy to encourage sponsorship of issues of the Review. Estimated cost of an issue of the Review is $3,500-$4,000. Three special issues are already proposed but there should only be one of these sponsored issues a year.

The Editor of the Review of Religious Research Hart Nelsen, said the transition to the new editor went very smoothly thanks to the cooperative spirit of Jim Davidson, the former editor. The production schedule for the Review is on time, the quality of articles high, and there will be some interesting issues coming. Kirk Hadaway is Book Review Editor. We will select a couple of books for multiple reviews. The Managing Editor is Anne Nelsen, Ph.D., an historian.

It was announced that Barbara Hargrove was the new Chair of the Nominating Committee replacing Richard Knudten whose term has ended.

James Davis, Chair of the 1980 Program Committee said things were different this year in the program: 1) We did not use the SSSR theme and had our own - "Sociology of the Parish," 2) We had a special promotion this year for the RRA to judicatories, seminaries and counciliar agencies within 150 miles of Cincinnati. The President commended Jim Davis for his work on the 1980 meeting.

Ross Scherer, Chair of the 1981 Program Committee announced the special theme of the meeting - "Voluntarism in Theory and Practice" which deals with churches and denominations as social institutions.

David Roozen, Chair of Publicity announced that the RRA Board has voted to continue the publicity function and that the name "publicity" would probably be changed to something else. It is a communication link between the RRA and the national media. A core list of 100 news editors, wire services, radio and newspapers is available. Information will be sent to these groups on Review contents and the RRA Annual Meeting. The RRA has members who can serve as sources for news media when they are writing stories. The Publicity office can put the media in touch with people working in various areas. This year we have had two media people at this Annual Meeting - Marjorie Hyer from the Washington Post and someone from the Washington Star. Channel 5, from Cincinnati, called and we hope they will cover the meeting. We will be requesting on future membership forms telephone numbers of the RRA members. Roozen asked that RRA members send names of those in the working press with whom they are cooperating.

As items of New Business it was announced that the RRA received over $200 from its literature and membership table. It was announced that an Advisory Committee to the Editor of the Review and the Chair of the Development Committee was formed to ensure that practitioners in the churches participate in the RRA. Those appointed were: Doug Walrath (Convenor), James Davis, Douglass Lewis and Carl Dudley.

President Hoge thanked the following outgoing board members for their service to the association: Ed Rauff (Treasurer), Carl Dudley (Development Committee), Richard Knudten (Nominating Committee), James Davis (Program, 1980), Barbara Payne (Director) and Ed Sullivan (Director).

President Hoge in his closing remarks said he has been an officer in the RRA for seven years and that he enjoyed serving. The RRA had an identity problem which we are solving and that the Association is moving more towards the churches and the practical sector. Those in the church sector should present their best work for RRA consumption. The Review of Religious Research is dominated by academics and church types should write more for the Review, or at least give information on their written reports, etc.

President-Elect Lewis said appreciative words about Dean Hoge, that he epitomized the "researcher's researcher" and provided leadership in relating research to the life of the church. The RRA now has an internship for its President and Lewis said that Dean Hoge helped him greatly and brought him in on the discussions of the RRA. Lewis noted the diversity within the RRA - all the way from academic researchers to denominational boards and agencies. This produces a creative tension in which we can share in this diversity of knowledge and experience. In the future the Board of Directors should see itself as a servant organization and hope that the RRA membership will continue to provide input. We are trying in the Review and the RRA program to relate the needs of the membership. We may possibly experiment with continuing education workshops prior to the Annual Meeting inviting those participating in them to stay on and participate in the RRA meetings. The best publicity for an organization comes from its members and we hope that all will promote the Religious Research Association. We can supply a kit for members to use in this task including copies of the Review, brochures and a portable display case. Members are urged to take it along to other professional meetings they attend.

There being no other business, it was moved and VOTED to adjourn at 6:43 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Constant H. Jacquet, Jr.

Secretary, Religious Research Association