As many of you will recall, our annual meeting last year addressed the topic, "Constructing Pastoral Theology Together: Getting Down to Cases in the Church." It was intended as "a reassessment of the field's relation to the church, a fresh consideration of the role of the pastoral case study in our field's methodology, and our clearly emerging commitment in the Society to the doing of pastoral theology as a cooperative inquiry in a community of scholars and pastoral practitioners" (Spring Newsletter, March 28, 2001). The Steering Committee carried out a rather bold, unorthodox--but ultimately well-received--decision to modify the structure of the meeting. Rather than scheduling a series of plenary presentations over two or three days, along with workshops, study groups, and other events, all plenary presentations and discussion related to the theme of the conference were scheduled on one day. Carolyn Bohler (United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio), Lucinda Huffaker (Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion), Anne Wimberly (Interdenominational Theological Center), and Brad Binau (Trinity Lutheran Seminary) led reflections through the plenary presentations. They considered issues in pastoral theological methodology, substantive questions and perspectives, as well as procedural and strategic matters. Registered participants who took the time to complete an evaluation form indicated their sincere appreciation for and high estimation of the substance and structure of the plenary presentations and discussions (although most felt that group energy began to drop by late Friday afternoon).

We want to extend our thanks to Bonnie Miller-McLemore for her Work in Progress presentation on theology, care, and children; to those who chaired theological study groups (Bill Clements, Ed Wimberly, Emma Justes, Miriam Glover-Wetherington, Charles Scalise, Rod Hunter, Glenn Asquith, Carrie Doehring, Rick Mixon, Roy Steinhoff-Smith, Herb Anderson, Bonnie Miller-McLemore, Marie McCarthy); to those who led workshops (Glenn Asquith, Ulrike Guthrie, Joretta Marshall, Bonnie Miller-McLemore, Chris Schlauch, Charles Scalise, Ronald Sunderland, Barbara McClure, Darryl Fairchild). Certainly a highlight of the entire meeting, by acclamation, was the humorous and thought-provoking luncheon address given by Peggy Way (Eden Theological Seminary). Last but not least, we want to thank Emma Justes (Northern Baptist Theological Seminary) for opening her home to Society members for the Society Party.

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