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March 18, 2019

RECongress (2019.18)

RECongress 2019 is Finally Here!

Our 2019 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress is here. And here are some last-minute updates and reminders for the event. And watch for the release of our app -- coming soon.
Have questions about RECongress? First, try our Help page here.

Pass along this emailing or our link — archive.recongress.org — to share with friends and encourage them to sign up for the Emailings to receive the latest information about RECongress 2019. If you do not care to receive future updates, you can find removal information at the bottom of this message.

Future RECongress Dates
Put these dates on your calendar now! Dates for the 2020 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress are:
  • February 20, 2020 (Youth Day)
  • February 21-23, 2020 (Adult Days)

Congress Trivia: More than half of the last 54 RECongress events have been held in February. RECongress has been held in these months (and the number of times): January (3), February (30), March (19) and April (2).
Find the RECongress Themes and Dates here »

"North Hall" and Sacred Space in ACC North
Remember the two big relocations for RECongress 2019 that utilize the new ACC North building.
Hall B: We have moved all our Hall B (“Spanish Arena”) events to the 200 Level — the upper level — of ACC North. Both Youth Day and our Adult Days will utilize the area we call “North Hall.”
Sacred Space: Traditionally located on the third floor of the main Convention Center, Sacred Space also moves to the lower level of ACC North. Our Chapel and the Labyrinth will move to North rooms 151-152. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available in North rooms 153-156.

Registration Hours at RECongress

Remember that our Registration Area has moved slightly, too. It is located in the Prefunction Lobby in front of Hall A (not between Hall B and Hall C as in the past). Hours during the RECongress weekend are:
Thursday, March 21: 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Friday, March 22: 7:00 am to 3:00 pm
Saturday, March 23: 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
Sunday, March 24: 8:00 am to 11:00 am
See our RECongress Help page here »

Program Book & Tote Bag Pick-up

If you have your tickets, skip the Registration Area and note the new locations and times at RECongress 2019 for pick-up of your "swag" bag containing a Program Book, lanyard and name badge holder:
Thursday, March 21 - 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm in ACC North (Plaza level);
Friday, March 22 - 7:00 am to 3:00 pm in ACC North (Plaza level) & 7:00 am to noon at the Arena east doors;

Saturday, March 23 - 7:30 am to 2:30 pm in ACC North (Plaza level);
Sunday, March 24 - 8:00 to 11:00 am in the Registration Area, Hall A Prefunction Lobby.
See our RECongress Help page here »

Registration help at Congress

If you discover you need help on site at Congress, be on the lookout for our staff wearing a red vest. There are several on the registration crew who are there to help you find the right line, help solve your registration questions, and help you register. You can find them wearing the bright red vest with the word "Registration" on the back. These people will be walking about in the Registration Area (in the Prefunction Lobby of Hall A).
Find our RECongress Help page here »

"I haven't received my tickets"

First, don't panic! Your tickets might have been returned to us for some reason and may be in Will Call. Remember, the Registration Area is now in the Prefunction Lobby of Hall A.

Before: After February 25, tickets were no longer mailed, only barcode confirmations were sent by email. Please bring that email with you to the Scan and Print area at Registration. If you registered and did not receive an emailed barcode confirmation, please contact the RECongress Registration Desk at (213) 637-7348 or email recongress@aol.com.

On Site: If you didn't receive your tickets in the mail, please come to the Existing Ticket Questions windows in the Registration Area on site. Use this window if you have found any problem with your tickets, including you have a ticket for a wrong workshop, your address is wrong, etc. We can help solve your problem.

See the RECongress Help page here »

"I still need to register"

You can still register for RECongress 2019 all the way through Sunday, March 24 either online or on-site in Anaheim. 

Before: Register online by credit card at RECongress.org/register. Note: After March 8, online payments by check were no longer accepted.

On Site: First, grab a Registration Guidebook and use the fill-in counters off to the side of the Registration area to select your workshops. You will want to fill out your Registration Card with your complete address and a first-, second- and third-choice for each period you wish to attend. Then bring your card to the Registration Assistance window and we will help you register. You may pay by cash, check, credit card or money order.

On Site Self-Registration: Have you filled out your Registration Card with your workshops? If you are paying by credit card, you can use the self-registration terminals to register. It will show you immediately if your workshop choice is still available and all the available options.

See the RECongress Help page here »

"I don't have tickets, but I have a barcode"

That's all you need to print your tickets on-site at RECongress. Bring your barcode confirmation email to the Barcode and Scan area in Registration to print your tickets. This is the fastest way to receive your tickets. No waiting for the mail. And the confirmation email arrives quickly.

Go to the RECongress Help page here »

Will Call at Youth Day 2019

After February 27, most Youth Day packets were held for Will Call. Youth Day packets contain track and day information along with the Chaperone and youth badges. If you did not receive your packet for Youth Day in the mail, please come to the Registration Area in the Prefunction Lobby after 7 am. Note: There is NO new registration for Youth Day and no on-site registration for the day.

Go to the Youth Day page here»

Youth Day: Directions and Parking

Youth Day attendees should arrive before 8:00 am (doors open as early as 7:30 am). Once parked, participants will be asked to walk down Convention Way to the Convention Center. Participants from Track 1 should move directly to the Arena for the General Session. Participants from Track 2 should head to ACC North for their selected workshop. Note that drop-offs are not be allowed in front or behind the Convention Center.

Bus parking and bus drop-off is available in the Toy Story parking Lot for $35 per bus. 

Car parking is available in any Convention Center lot ($16 per car). We recommend that you park in the lot in ACC North (off Katella Ave.). Young people should not transport themselves; Chaperones who are driving must be 25 years of age.

Download the Speaker Handouts
A number of our RECongress speakers have handouts for their workshops. As part of our plan to reduce printed materials, we no longer print speaker handouts. But they all are available to download from our website. We encourage you to check online if any of your workshop speakers have handouts, Handouts are available as PDFs through links marked in red. Print our your handouts and bring them with you to RECongress. You might also find that the PDF downloads are available for viewing on your smartphone or tablet and you might be able to download them and follow along at the workshop. (There is free Wi-Fi
Find the Speaker Handouts here »

What if I want to change my tickets?
It is true that once your tickets are printed you can no longer change those tickets. However, that doesn't mean you are stuck. What if you change your mind about a workshop? If you're not happy with the tickets you receive, you do have an option:
1) You can attend the workshop you are ticketed for. Many of the  workshops are recorded, and you might find that the other workshop you wanted to attend is recorded. Recordings are available on-site and online after RECongress.
2) You may use the ticket you have to the workshop you would like to attend. Once all properly ticketed attendees are admitted, then the workshop is opened up to other ticket holders -- if there is available seating.
Find the Speaker Handouts here »

Saving Seats at RECongress
It is permissible to save seats up to 10 minutes before a scheduled workshop, liturgy or concert begins. After that time, we ask that, in Christian love, you release these seats for others. If any Congress volunteer requests that you release seats that you are saving, please comply with the direction given.

And did you know our workshop rule? Our “5-minute rule” allows that attendees may take any available seat in a workshop -- even those they are not ticketed for -- five minutes prior to the session start time.

Find our listing of RECongress Speakers here »

Watch RECongress Live! online

This year we will have two live streaming channels of Arena (English) and North Hall (Spanish) events live from RECongress on the internet. Find the schedule of our live events from Congress 2019 on RECongress.org/Live. Watch beginning on Thursday with Youth Day and running all the way through Sunday's Closing Liturgy ... and even beyond with our posted videos. And don't forget to post comments on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/RECongress) and follow us on Twitter. (www.twitter.com/LACongress)
See the RECongress YouTube Channel »

Last day for discounted ticket offer

Hurry, today, March 18 is the last day to order specially priced Disneyland resort eTickets. This eTicket offer is only available online at mydisneygroup.com/ZMRC19A.  (Tickets are only valid through Wednesday, March 27, 2019.)

Find additional info on our Updates page »

Some RECongress Reminders:

Live Streaming in North Hall (upper level) - click here
Don't forget, as an alternative to dealing with the Arena crowd, you can watch Friday’s Opening Ceremony & Welcome (8:30-9:30 am) with a live stream in North Hall.

Got one for RECongress? App-solutely! - click here
Watch for the release of our 2019 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress app — which covers both Youth Day and the adult days of RECongress! Find it on the App Store (iPhones and iPads) and on the Play Store (for Android smartphone and tablets).

Saturday Morning Praise & Keynote - click here
Please remember the new format — and time — for our Saturday Morning Praise & Keynote. Our English Keynote with Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC, begins at 7:50 am in the Arena; our Spanish Keynote with Sr. Norma Pimentel, MJ, begins at 7:50 am in North Hall.

Front Row with Archbishop Gomez - click here
Saturday, March 23, 10:15 am – Performance Stage, Hall A
Congress Speaker Christina Lamas will moderate the Front Row with Archbishop José Gomez event live at the Performance Stage in Hall A and also online via Facebook.

Registration & Program Books Online - click here
Our 2019 Registration Guidebook and even our 2019 Congress Program Book — the one given away at Congress — are now available online in PDF (requires the free Adobe Reader) and also the iPaper format (requires no software download).

FREE RECongress ePostcard - click here
Sunday, March 24, 9 am - 2 pm - Tech Center, Hall A
Don't forget your free electronic postcard. Take a souvenir picture at Congress 2019 to email home and to your friends! Only available on Sunday and only at the Technology Center, located in the center of Hall A under the "Computer Demonstration" banner.

Wheelchair and Scooter Rentals - click here
The Convention Center does not provide wheelchairs. Please contact Scootaround for rentals of mobility scooters, manual wheelchairs, powerchairs and the ultra-portable Personal Electric Vehicle (PEV). For more information, see www.scootaround.com online or call (888) 441-7575.

Show Your Badge & Save Program - click here
Congress attendees can receive entertainment and dining discounts during Congress with the "Show Your Badge & Save" program. Dining discounts are currently available at IHOP, Joe's Crab Shack, House of Blues and Downtown Disney restaurants including Catal, Naples, Ralph Brennan's and Tortilla Jo's.

Chair Massage at Congress
On Friday and Saturday (10 am-4:30 pm) and again on Sunday (10 am-2:30 pm) in the Hall A Prefuntion Area you can take a break from the bustle of Congress with a chair massage. The cost is $1 per minute.

A.A. Meetings
Join a lunchtime meeting with other Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) men and women. This is an open meeting for anyone working a 12-Step program or anyone interested in 12-Step recovery. The meeting room is location on the Marriott’s lower level, in the San Diego room.

Anaheim Protesters
If there are protesters at Congress, please do not engage in conversation with them. Ignoring them is the best way of responding. We have developed a plan with Convention Center staff to handle any potential protests.

Ralphs Rewards Program - click here
Don't forget to register for the Community Contributions Program with your free Ralphs rewards Card. It's the easiest way to benefit RECongress all year long.
Find the list of contracted hotels here »

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