What's the one law that a religious meeting planner can count on to be applied to just about every meeting or event planned? It has to be Murphy's Law: "Whatever can go wrong, will." There are just too many details to check, too many specifics to nail down, too many people to coordinate, and too much paperwork for anyone to handle without expecting that something, somewhere along the process, will go haywire. Fortunately, as more-experienced planners have learned, there are lots of ways to reduce the chances that Mr. Murphy will make an appearance at your meeting. For the first-time planner, though, it can be a daunting prospect.

What is needed is a complete guide to the basics of planning meetings for religious organizations. This year's Handbook was developed to provide you with the meeting planning basics that form the backbone of any event, plus the resources you need to find the more detailed information for the specific needs of your meetings.

The 2001 Handbook is conveniently divided into sections to allow you to quickly flip to the information you need, whether it's in meeting management, health and safety, audiovisual and technology, or international concerns, such as arranging shipping overseas.

Since the most important lesson every religious planner learns early on is that it pays to work smarter, not harder, this year's Handbook focuses on how you can improve the efficiency of your efforts throughout the meeting planning process. Whether it's marketing your meeting, conducting a site inspection (especially what to ask about technology issues), or preparing to be able to ensure the health and safety of attendees, the Handbook holds the answers. As an added bonus, it also includes a section dedicated just to those checklists planners rely on to keep them on track throughout the planning process.

Whether you are a meeting planning rookie or a seasoned professional, the 2001 Handbook will be an invaluable tool to help you find ways to maximize your meeting's impact while minimizing the costs to your organization. It's one resource you will want to keep on your desk throughout the year - along with Who's Who in Religious Conference Management, which will be published this spring.