Congress "Swag Bag"
Everyone who registers for the 2015 Religious Education Congress will receive a souvenir gift bag, available at the Program Book Pick-Up area. Be sure to show your name badge tag.

	The green fabric bag, sponsored by RCL Benziger,  has the 2015 RECongress theme "See" / "Ver" and contains:
	One red RECongress lanyard, sponsored by Liturgical Press, with a name badge holder... ...and a lanyard card insert featuring Liturgical Press' new app for Give Us This Day (online at GUTD.net);
	the 2015 RECongress Program Book (find it online atan> archive.recongress.org/2015/guidebook.htm); and a 12-page Special Edition on Congress, presented by The Tidings, newspaper of the Los Angeles Archdiocese (online at archive.recongress.org/2015/pdf/TidingsRECspecial2.pdf

See our Congress Updates page »

Volunteers at Congress
Congress could not function without the hundreds of volunteers who give of their time. This past Tuesday, March 24, we held our annual pre-Congress meeting for workshop volunteers at Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School in Los Angeles. See photos from the meeting
 

Extraordinary Ministers at Congress
Are you a trained Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion? We need help at our Arena liturgies at Congress. Though the training sessions have passed for Floor Ministers of Holy Communion (Ministers of the Cup on the "floor" of the Arena), there is a training session during Congress on Friday, March 13 at 12 noon for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in the upper levels of the Arena, which are the Terrace and the Loge levels.
See the Volunteer page »

The 200-voice Congress Choir
John Flahery, the Congress Musical Director, extends an invitation to those who are interested in singing at the Closing Liturgies at Congress (Sunday at 8:00 am and 3:30 pm). Volunteer musicians are required to attend two scheduled rehearsals offered this month in different regions of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. There are 3 rehearsal dates and locations for the Congress Choir, and additional rehearsals planned for the Inland Empire (Yucaipa/Redlands/San Bernardino) and Monterey, Calif; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Boise, Idaho. See the Musical Director's Invitation.
See the Volunteer page »

Ideas for a Successful Congress
Congress Event Coordinator Paulette Smith offers some suggestions to help make your Congress experience this year one of the best:
 

And time once again for survival tips from regular Congress attendee and blogger Claude Muncey, from his page, "Tips for Surviving RECongress":

If you're not already familiar with it, the RECongress is probably the largest regularly scheduled gathering of Catholics in North America. It is held at the Anaheim Convention Center across the street from Disneyland. Thursday is Youth Day, which attracts around 15,000 high schoolers, and Friday through Sunday is the Congress itself which is attended by anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 teachers, catechists, musicians and other Catholics in ministry from all over the country. There are dozens of conference sessions each day with Masses and other events in the evenings. Here are a dozen handy tips for surviving the Religious Education Congress:
Dress for comfort
There is nothing formal about RECongress. Good shoes and socks are a must. Think of it as going on a day hike with 10,000 of your closest friends!
Get there the night before
If possible, even Thursday afternoon (Youth Day). Try to avoid crossing Downtown Los Angeles between the hours of 3 pm and 7 pm.
Find all the tips online at a "Dozen Handy Tips for Surviving RECongress."
See Other Congress Updates »

Youth Day Room Locations
There was some Youth Day workshop room confusion. Here are room updates:
Session H: "Talk Jesus, Talk We … A World That Journeys Together Toward One Love" – Ted Miles & Sergio Lopez in Convention 213
Session K: "Dealing with Stress" – Judy McDonald in Convention Ballroom ABC
Session P:  “Triple D: Discerning, Deciding and Doing” – Fr. Leo Patalinghug in Convention Ballroom D.
Updated maps for Track 1 and Track 2 are available on the Youth Day page.
See the Updates page »

Youth Day Speaker Feature: Catholic Relief Services
Both Tracks at Youth Day are set to see the Youth Day Arena speaker and one additional workshop, including this one and 11 others whose sessions are held in the Convention Center meeting rooms.

Since 2005, Baltimore-native Ted Miles has been Catholic Relief Services’ Relationship Manager for Religious Education and Coordinator of their Youth Outreach in the United States. Prior to joining CRS, Miles served in parish youth ministry, social ministry and Catholic high school education and faith formation for over 25 years, including the development of Baltimore Archdiocese’s “Justice Action Week.” In 2009, he was honored with the national award for leadership in youth ministry from the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry.

Musician and speaker Sergio Lopez is a former youth minister and worship leader from the Los Angeles Archdiocese. He has presented at the Los Angeles Regional Congresses, the Fresno Diocesan Youth Day, the Christian Leadership Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif., and The Center for Ministry and Development in Buffalo, N.Y. Since 2014, Lopez has worked for Catholic Relief Services as a Relationship Manager, and is based in Simi Valley, Calif.

Session H - "Talk Jesus, Talk We … A World That Journeys Together Toward One Love"
Youth Day, Thursday, March 12, 2015
Catholic Relief Services and local service and outreach ministries invite you to an experience of entering into the lives and stories of people around the world. Through storytelling, decision-making and learning of the consequences of those decisions, discover the realities that many young people face around the world and how we can journey together toward greater unity, justice and love.
See the Youth Day Workshops »

RECongress Spotlight: Technology Center
Friday thru Sunday – Tech Center in Hall A
The Technology Center at RECongress, located in the center of Exhibit Hall A, is available to both exhibitors and selected companies. Its purpose is to highlight software, online services and Internet resources that are of interest to our Congress attendees.
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez starts off events at the Tech Center on Friday with an online video chat with students from St. Finbar Elementary School in Burbank.
And see presentations throughout the weekend by:
Gradelink and their Student Information System to save time, boost enrollment and improve learning.
Outside da Box video resources, including their 48-film Video Catechism (VCAT) series.
Liturgical Publications' WeShare lets parishioners register for events, pay online, and print tickets.
TheFiveLoaves.com and their "Six Essentials for Every Parish Website.”
RCL and their Echoes of Faith 3.0 for online learning and communication for parishes and schools.
Liturgical Publications presents author Tracy Earl Welliver on the future of parish communications.
Catholic Communication Collaboration helping parishes and schools match technology to ministerial needs.
Pearson's iLit, a comprehensive literacy solution for struggling readers via computer or tablet.
Liturgical Publications solutions for continuous parish information and notifications on the run.
And only on Sunday of Congress be sure to drop by for your free Congress ePostcard souvenir. We had over 200 photos taken last year by those who came by for their personalized souvenir. See those who made an ePostcard last year.
See the Tech Center Schedule »

Film Showcase 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015, 8 pm (7 pm reception)
Convention 201
This year’s Film Showcase -- the ninth annual event in partnership with Loyola Marymount University -- presents sneak peeks at future films and will feature the 2015 documentary "It Happened Here."  A public Q&A with Producer Marjorie Schwartz Nielsen moderated by Sr. Rose Pacatte, F.S.P. will follow the screening. At 7:15 pm there will be an advanced screening of NBC’s  "A.D. The Bible Continues" pilot episode. The show picks up where the miniseries "The Bible" left off, exploring the events that followed the Crucifixion of Christ. Doors open and preshow reception begins at 7 pm in Convention 201. The formal program begins at 8 pm.
(Online info at www.facebook.com/events/443214312494728.)
See the Congress Spotlights »

Speaker Feature: Grayson Warren Brown
Over the three days, Congress 2015 offers 309 workshops presented by 202 speakers. Topics range from personal growth to music to spiritual topics – in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Each Emailing we have spotlighted one of those speakers:

Grayson Warren Brown is an internationally known author, speaker, liturgical composer and recording artist/clinician for Oregon Catholic Press. His latest collection is titled “Now That the Morning Has Broken the Darkness.” Brown began his liturgical ministry in the late-1960s in a small inner-city parish in New York and has many years of experience working in a multicultural setting. He now spends his time writing, composing and travelling worldwide, giving workshops and conducting parish missions.

Many Spokes, One Center  (*)
Session 4-03, Saturday, March 14, 2015 - 10:00 - 11:30 am
This session is designed to help all the ministries of the church point in a single direction. It examines reasons why all ministries must have a clear understanding how each ministry is related to one another, since collectively, all are related to Christ. We will also examine some of the “turf wars” that often undermine the work of the parish and look at ways to avoid these conflicts. Grayson Warren Brown will make a strong case for “ministry days” or special ministerial retreats, in which all ministers gather to pray together as well as reflect upon their mission.

The Trasformative Power of Faith (*)
Session 4-03, Sunday, March 15, 2015 - 1:00 - 2:30 pm - Arena
In Romans 8:21, St. Paul makes a remarkable statement: If God is for us, who can stand against us? Today, that message might translate: Hey, get up, go out and stop being afraid! Change the world; because God is with you and with God on your side, you are unstoppable! We live in a world today that is in desperate need of the healing power of the love of Christ. But Christ cannot change the world with just his words alone; he needs to get his body in motion. And who is the body of Christ? We are! In this session, we are going to preach and sing and get “fired up” about God’s call to bring light to darkness and hope to the weary. Let’s strengthen our faith together, so that we can take Paul completely at his Word.
See other Congress Speakers »
 

Disney Ticket Offer Ends Next Tuesday
Tuesday, March 10, 2015 is the last day RECongress attendees can purchase specially priced Disneyland resort tickets. There are discounted rates for Twilight Convention tickets (after 4 pm), 1-day 1-park, multi-day and park hopper tickets. This offer is only available online at www.disneyconventionear.com/ZMRC15A and not available at the Park. Tickets are valid Tuesday, March 10 through Sunday, March 22, 2015. The online ticket store closes 9:00 PM PST on Tuesday, March 10, 2015.

See the Updates page »

© 2015  Los Angeles Religious Education Congress   //   Online at archive.recongress.org