The meeting convened at 5:05 p.m. with sixty-five persons in attendance.

1. The minutes of the last meeting were approved.

2. Executive Committee report.

The size of the society continues to grow: as of the beginning of 2008 there are more than 4,200 members and subscribers. Attendees at the conference did not quite break 300.

Improvements to the website continue and include more information and services, while at the same time problems that arise are being addressed (auto replies, credit card payments, etc.).

The budget reflects delayed membership and subscription revenues due to the shift to Cambridge University Press. Royalties are increasing, which will probably only continue with the new revenue-sharing rider signed with JSTOR. The salary for continuing employees will increase at a 3 percent rate. Conference costs continue to go up. The budget was approved.

3. Editorial report. The number and quality of submissions is increasing. The editors thanked readers of articles and book reviewers. Transitioning to CUP for editorial and production work is nearly complete. The first issue published by CUP is March 2008. More circulation is anticipated through CUP marketing in Africa, Asia, and South America. Also, the editors want to receive more extended articles. Report approved.

4. Committee Reports

A. Membership. Keith Francis reported a rise to nearly 3,000 members—an increase of about 1,000 over three or four years. Members are urged to go on the website and update their personal information—addresses, status, etc., and to renew membership. There were 382 new members this past year, including 177 graduate students and 67 members outside North America. Grad students make up 30 percent of membership, so we need to think of ways to serve them: holding receptions, encouraging papers, establishing mentoring programs, etc. Regular emailing and posting of the newsletter to continue; members were asked to send notices, announcements, and articles of interest. Report approved.

B. Nominating. John van Engen reported on behalf of Jan Shipps the following partial slate:

President elect: Charles Lippy

Council: Steve Olsen, Chris Beeley, Quincy Newell, Kathleen Cumming

The remainder of the slate will be announced. The president thanked the outgoing Council class and noted the addition, starting next year, of graduate student member Brendon Bane of Harvard. Report approved.

C. Research. Barbara Brown Zikmund reported that the Brewer Prize has been awarded to Heather Curtis, and the Schaff Prize to Harry Stout. No Mead or Douglass prizes were awarded this year because of a low number of submissions (or complete lack of them).

The Council approved a three-part proposal on the descriptions of the Brewer, Outler, and Schaff prizes, the size and structure of the Research Committee, and award levels.

The Council approved the following language for the Brewer Prize: The Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize, offered annually and limited to first books, is a subvention fund of $1500 to assist an author in publishing a book-length manuscript in church history, particularly, though not limited to, the history of Congregationalism. Nominations must be received by November 1.

The Council voted on the following language for the Outler Prize: The Albert C. Outler Prize is an award of $1500 to the author of the best monograph, biography, critical edition, or bibliography published in the two previous calendar years or in manuscript, in ecumenical church history broadly conceived. “Ecumenical” includes topics relating to the quest for a fuller understanding or unity within Christianity or between Christianity and other religions. Up to an additional $2500 is also available, contingent on the recipient's need as determined by the Research Committee, for manuscript revision or printing subvention. Nominations must be received by March 1 in even-numbered years.

The Council voted on the following language for the Schaff Prize: “The Philip Schaff Prize is an award in the amount of $1500 to the author of the best book published in the two previous calendar years, originating in the North American scholarly community, which presents original research on any period in the history of Christianity, or makes a significant synthesizing scholarly contribution. Nominations must be received by March 1 in odd-numbered years.”

Report approved.

D. Finance. John van Engen reported for Hans Hillerbrand that the Investment Committee has been made an ad hoc Finance Committee in order to allow for closer supervision of funds.

E. Winter Program. Grant Wacker thanked the organizing committee and assistant Brendan Pietsch for their hard work. All told they reviewed 307 proposals. The conference includes 179 participants in 33 sessions, with a gender breakdown of three-fifths male and two-fifths female, with seven different areas of scholarship represented.

5. Other Business.

A. Six past presidents were recognized.

B. The Distinguished Career Award recipient for 2009 will be George Marsden.

6. In Memoriam. John Webster Grant was remembered among those who died during the past year.

At the close of the meeting, the Brewer Prize and Schaff Prize were awarded respectively to Heather Curtis and Harry Stout.

The meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m.