The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church will try the Rev. Irene Elizabeth (Beth) Stroud beginning Dec. 1, 2004 at Camp Innabah, a conference camping facility near Pottstown, Pa. Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel has been designated as the presiding officer. At the request of the respondent, Bishop Yeakel has ordered that her church trial be open to the public. 

The trial will be held in the gymnasium of Camp Innabah, 712 Pughtown Road, Spring City, PA 19475. It is about three miles from Pottstown. The trial will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 1, with jury selection during a private session. The public portion of the trial is expected to begin around 10:00 a.m. The trial may last several days. On successive days, hours will be from 8:00 a.m. until about 8:00 p.m. 

Media guidelines for the trial: 

1. News media personnel must be credentialed to gain access to the church property and the room where the trial will take place. Suzy Keenan, director of communications for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, is the designated press officer for the trial. She will process requests for media credentials. Requests for credentials must be directed to her at suzy.keenan@epaumc.org. Her office telephone number is (610) 666-9090 ext. 227; cell phone (610) 620-5100.

2. Access to the camp will be limited during the trial. Directions to the camp are located at www.epaumc.org.

3. Only media with credentials will be admitted to the parking lot or to the church building. There will be a security check of everyone entering the parking area.

4. Photographs, audio and video broadcast and recording of the trial proceedings will be prohibited. A media room will be provided for news media interviews at the conclusion of each day's session. 

5. Media seating will be provided to credentialed news media. Only credentialed media will be allowed access to the news media seating area. Persons attending the trial are strongly encouraged to remain in their seats until the trial session breaks for a recess or for the day.

6. Credentialed sketch artists are allowed to sit in the media area of the meeting room.

7. The news media are requested to park satellite trucks and other vehicles in the designating parking area. Media must tape down and securely cover cables and wires coming from their vehicles and equipment.

8. Cell phones and pagers must be turned off during the proceedings. Violators of this policy may be asked to leave.

Media Contact: Suzy Keenan, director of communications, Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. She can be reached at (610) 666-9090 ext. 227 office; (610) 620-5100 cell, or by email at suzy.keenan@epaumc.org. Further information is available at www.epaumc.org.