We are sorry to report that the 2021 Open Bible national in-person convention in Florida has been canceled.
Although every effort was made to provide a physically-distanced and safe on-location event, the National Board of Directors has concluded that it will be best for us to defer an on-location event until 2023.
A recent poll of ministers and other possible registrants indicated most likely only half of the typically anticipated number of registrants would attend the convention. (Registrants come from many parts of the country and restrictions vary among those locations.) With only half the normal number of participants able to attend, the Open Bible association would be obligated for thousands of dollars in commitments to the hotel and there would not be enough registrations to cover that loss. The association always subsidizes convention costs, but the issues faced this year would likely seriously escalate that cost.
All convention registration fees will be refunded and people who have made hotel reservations can cancel those. Convention room rates will no longer apply.
Watch for an upcoming announcement about an alternative virtual convention, although it won’t look or be organized like an in-person convention. There will be separate online opportunities for involvement, including a business meeting where important bylaw amendments and other matters will be presented.
President Randall A. Bach said, “Thank you for your understanding. This is absolutely not the outcome we preferred. We have, however, been able to convert our 2021 Florida convention hotel contract into a contract for our 2025 convention. We will still get to Florida, just not in 2021. An agreement for our 2023 national convention has already been signed for a location in a different part of the country (announcement to come later).”
Stay tuned for information about our 2021 Virtual National Convention!
