 "For this service that you perform not only meets the needs of God's people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God." -2 Cor. 9:12 
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Friday, August 30 - Sunday, September 1 2013
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California
The annual SCRC Catholic Renewal Convention takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California every Labor Day Weekend. This year's Convention theme is "Take Courage, Have Faith". Southern California Renewal Communities (SCRC) organizes the event, and 2013 will be the 42nd Convention. Before coming to Anaheim in 1976, the Convention was held at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and then in Long Beach. Every year thousands of people come to the Convention to hear dozens of world-renowned speakers, learn about their faith, and fulfill the goal of the Charismatic Renewal: being transformed by discovering a new openness to the reality of the Holy Spirit. The SCRC Catholic Renewal Convention seeks to fulfill the promise of the Charismatic Renewal and provide an atmosphere that is energized by unified praise and worship, solid Catholic teaching, and powerful prayer, while inviting the Holy Spirit to be present. The 2013 SCRC Convention provides a choice of programs: Regular Workshops, Set Free track, Teen Conference, Children's Program, and Vietnamese Conference. All run simultaneously and offer a wide variety for different ages and interests. For Regular and Set Free ticket holders, a registrant will attend a workshop (Regular Workshop registrants have a choice of workshops) during each of 10 sessions spread out over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Each workshop has a speaker (sometimes two) who will discuss the announced topic, as well as musicians and singers who will provide music ministry. Every evening there is a large liturgy in the Arena. On Saturday night there is a mass and healing service. And Saturday afternoon there will be a free concert with John Michael Talbot in the arena. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):• What's new or special this year?
This year is an exciting year for the SCRC Convention. The Set Free track on healing and deliverance is a practical follow-up to last year's Christ Triumphant. The track follows the "Unbound" style of peaceful, non-confrontational deliverance and will prepare people for the deliverance needs they may encounter. You can read more about it here.
On Saturday during Session 7, John Michael Talbot will be giving a free concert in the Arena along with Fr. Stan Fortuna, CFR that will be open to the public. Convention registrants will receive priority seating. Special guest speakers this year include Bishop Gordon Bennett, Deacon Alex Jones, Fr. Stan Fortuna, John Michael Talbot, Msgr. James Mancini, Margarett Schlientz, Ph.D., Fr. Gino Henriques, and many more. New speakers this year include Gretchen Harris, Donna Lee, Fr. Greg Bramlage, Neal Lozano, and Janet Lozano. And we are thrilled to announce that the Vietnamese Conference is back! • Where is it located? How much does it cost? How do I get there? (Etc.)
This information and more can be found on the through the links on the left sidebar. See especially the Registration Information page and the Misc. Information page. • How many people attend the Convention?
Every year we see thousands of registrants to the Convention. Many thousands more attend the free concerts, masses, and the incredibly popular Saturday healing service. Because not everyone is required to register, the exact attendance number is not known. However, in 2012, the estimated attendance was approximately 10,000 people .
• What does "Renewal Convention" mean?
The Renewal Convention is a gathering designed to promote the mission of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which is also SCRC's mission....to make known the transforming power of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father. This type of convention provides an atmosphere that is energized by unified praise and worship, solid Catholic teaching, and powerful prayer, while inviting the Holy Spirit to be present.
The guest speakers often note a personal in-filling of the Holy Spirit as they give their presentations. As a result, their teachings even more poignantly pierce the hearts of the listeners in the way that the Spirit intends for each. The Liturgies seem to become more alive with even deeper meaning when coupled with all these other elements. The opportunities for prayer ministry provide a connection with God's healing touch that is life changing. With such a welcoming of the Spirit, there is always a sweeping, loving and healing response upon every open heart, according to each person's need. At the close of these conventions, it is often heard, time and time again, that the hearts and minds of the people have been brought to a new level of faith, hope and peace that they never, ever expected to achieve in this lifetime. It's truly a taste of heaven on earth. Our last three popes, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Paul VI, have strongly endorsed the Charismatic Renewal as being a precious resource for the life of the Church. • Is the Convention only for Catholics?
Certainly not. While the Convention assuredly follows Roman Catholic teachings and practices, Protestants and other Christians attend in large numbers. Usually they are attracted by the wealth of information delivered by the large slate of speakers as well as the special opportunity for renewal from the Holy Spirit.
The Convention also generates tremendous interest in all Christians who are interested in healing and spiritual warfare, as there are usually multiple speakers who provide a wealth of knowledge and personal experience to all who will listen. • How is this Convention different from other conferences I attend?
The answer depends, of course, on which other conferences you are talking about. However, the most strikingly distinct aspect of the SCRC Convention is the focus on the Holy Spirit. Attendees come to the Convention not only to learn about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but to experience its presence as well.
The SCRC Convention has a choice of several programs: Regular Workshops, Set Free track, Teen Conference, Children's Program, and Vietnamese Conference. All run simultaneously and offer a wide variety for different ages and interests. Another distinct aspect of the Convention is the large slate of speakers available to registrants who choose the Regular Workshops ticket. During 10 separate sessions, registrants have a choice of 4 workshops to attend, in addition to the liturgies, healing service, concerts and more. Registrants specifically sign up to attend a workshop of their choice and are given a ticket that specifies their choice of workshop. While this means that sometimes a workshop might fill up, it also means that you are assured a spot in the workshops that you sign up for. • Is it a national Convention?
As the largest Charismatic convention in the United States, speakers and registrants attend the Convention from all over the country and throughout the world. In 2013, the Convention features Fr. Gino Henriques, CSsR from Singapore and Bishop Gordon Bennett, the former Bishop of Jamaica.
For those who live in communities that do not frequently have access to Charismatic speakers or where the Charismatic community is not strong, the annual SCRC Convention allows them to travel to one place see many of the most popular speakers in a single weekend. For others, the appeal of the largest Charismatic gathering in the country is a draw in and of itself. • Do you sell recordings of the talks? How do I buy them?
All the recordings from every Convention are available on our website's Online Store. You can search by Convention year, speaker, category, or do a word search of titles. More recent Conventions have the descriptions of the talks to help guide your selection.
During the Convention, the recordings are sold onsite. You can buy DVDs of the Arena workshops at the SCRC bookstore in Exhibit Hall A and the other workshops at the recordings booth. • Are there things I can do for free? Do I need to pay to see the exhibitors or attend mass?
All liturgies, the healing service, Friday night concert with Jacob and Matthew Band, Saturday Concert with John Michael Talbot, and entry into Hall A to see exhibitors are free of charge and do not require registration. Please keep in mind that the city of Anaheim charges a $12 parking fee. To attend a workshop, you will need to register for the Convention. One-day tickets are available, and tickets are also transferable.
• Which talks should I sign up for?
If you are new to the Convention and not a teen or child, the recommended option is to purchase a Regular Workshops ticket. From there, there are variety of workshops that are marked as recommended for newcomers. You can see the choices here.
In general, the most popular speakers, especially those who do not speak every year, give their talks in the Arena and are the "A" workshops. These workshops typically are great choices with broad appeal. However, all the talks are excellent, and since each workshop has a brief description of the talk that will be presented, you may want to choose whichever address your needs or interests. See the workshops here. • Can I go to any talks I want?
Generally speaking, you may only attend the workshops you have registered for. You will be given a name badge with your workshop choices listed on it, and this will be checked before you are admitted into the talk.
However, because the workshops marked as "A" are in the Arena where there is ample seating, any registrant may attend these workshops regardless of the choice made at registration. On Friday, registered children or teens may attend with the parent or guardian who has registered for a workshop. • What talks are full or sold out? What do I do if the talk I want is full?
You can check the Workshops page to see which workshops have filled up. They will be marked as "Sold Out". The page is updated in real time and represents the actual current status of the talk.
If you are registering online, you are guaranteed attendance to the workshops you choose (any full workshops will not be available); there is no need for select a backup. If you are registering through the mail, it is best to refer to the Workshops page before filling out your form. Regular Workshops registrants are asked to fill out a second choice of workshops in case the workshop fills up before your mailed registration can be received and processed. For this and many other reasons, online registration is encouraged. Because the workshops marked as "A" are in the Arena where there is ample seating, any registrant may attend these Arena workshops regardless of the choice made during registration. Also, in very limited situations, the usher at the door of a non-Arena workshop may allow entry to registrants who registered for another workshop, provided there is space available. The usher will ask you to wait until after the workshop has begun. Please keep in mind that space is limited in non-Arena workshops, and so this option may not always be available. If you choose to pursue this option, please do so courteously by waiting silently outside the room allowing others to enter. Registrants who have a guaranteed spot in the workshops must be allowed seating before you can be let inside. • What if I want to change my workshop choices?
SCRC will not change your ticket once it has been issued. Please keep in mind that the SCRC Convention is organized by a very small staff and so can easily be overwhelmed by requests for changes or special accommodations.
However, in certain situations you may still be able to attend workshops that aren't on your ticket. Because the workshops marked as "A" are in the Arena where there is ample seating, any registrant may attend these Arena workshops regardless of the choice made during registration. Also, in very limited situations, the usher at the door of a non-Arena workshop may allow entry to registrants who registered for another workshop, provided there is space available. The usher will ask you to wait until after the workshop has begun. Please keep in mind that space is limited in non-Arena workshops, and so this option may not always be available. If you choose to pursue this option, please do so courteously by waiting silently outside the room allowing others to enter. Registrants who have a guaranteed spot in the workshops must be allowed seating before you can be let inside. • What if I bought a ticket to the Convention but can no longer attend?
This situation is discussed in our Refund Policy, which you should review now. In short, there are no refunds after August 12. However, all tickets are transferable. You are invited to give the ticket to someone else who can attend. If you are unable to transfer your ticket, please consider the ticket a donation to SCRC. SCRC operates solely from the generous donations from people like you.
• Can I go to confession at the Convention?
Due to a shortage of priests, it is highly recommended that you go to confession before arriving at the Convention. The only times allotted for confession are Friday, 12-1pm in Hall A (Workshop 1D), and Saturday during lunch at 12:00-2:00pm.
Please bear in mind that the line for the lunchtime confession is always extremely long, and you may not have an opportunity to speak to a priest before your next workshop begins. Likewise, the Friday Reconciliation Service workshop (1D) is usually full by the time the Convention begins. Onsite registrants may not have an opportunity to gain access to this workshop. • Can children attend the Convention? Can they come to the workshops with me?
SCRC provides the Children's Program, which operates on Saturday and Sunday for children's in grades K-5. Older children in grades 6-12 can sign up for the Teen Conference.
The Children's Program is Saturday and Sunday only, but any registered child can attend a Regular Workshop on Friday with his parent/guardian at no additional charge, provided there is available seating. Parents with teens are encouraged to attend workshop 3A, "Continuing Conversion: Let My People Grow!" with their teens on Friday afternoon. Teens registered for the Teen Conference can attend any Friday Regular Workshops with their parent/guardian, provided seating is available. For the Set Free track, teens under the age of 18 can attend only if they have registered specifically for that track and are accompanied by a parent/guardian. • I have a teen / I am a teen who is planning to attend, what do I need to know?
All teens must have a parent, guardian, or adult chaperone (over 25 years old) registered for the Convention. The adult does not need to attend the Teen Conference but can register for any of the workshops or programs. During registration you will be asked for a contact phone number. If an problem occurs we will try to contact the listed adult at that phone number or find him in the workshop or program he attending.
In some situations, teens are required to attend the Teen Conference as part of a confirmation requirement, and a parent may be reluctant to purchase an additional ticket for himself. In such cases, you are advised to coordinate with other parents from the same confirmation class, as there is more than likely a parent who is planning to attend the Convention and already registered. With the adult's permission, you may assign this person as a chaperone for your teen, but there must be no more than 10 teens for any 1 chaperone. If the teen is part of a youth group, the youth group leader typically handles registration and contacts with SCRC, while the teen coordinates with the youth group leader. If your youth group is being handled differently and the teen is registering individually while being part of a group, please let SCRC know so we can handle the ticket appropriately. Youth group leaders can find information here. • What's the difference between the Teen Conference and the Regular Workshops?
The Teen Conference does not have a choice of workshops, while the Regular Workshop program does. The Teen Conference is oriented towards teens, with a special focus on music, skits, and a very lively and energetic presentation. The Regular Workshops, on the other hand, are oriented more towards adults while allowing registrants to choose their workshop based on their personal needs or interests. The style of the presentation of the workshops will typically vary depending on the speaker.
The other large difference is that the Teen Conference kicks off later on Friday with an Arena workshop on Friday afternoon and a teen-oriented concert following Friday night mass. Full teen sessions are on on Saturday and Sunday. The Regular Workshops, however, begin Friday morning. Teens who have registered for the Teen Conference can attend Regular Workshops with their registered parent/guardian, provided seating is available. The Teen program itself does not begin until later on Friday. • Is the SCRC Convention's Teen Conference like R.E. Congress or Steubenville?
The SCRC Teen Conference has elements of both (such as teachings and praise), but it is more like Steubenville's conferences because it includes prayer ministry and a healing service, which Congress does not. The SCRC Teen Conference also takes place during the regular SCRC Convention allowing families to attend the Convention during the same weekend and even attend the same workshops on Friday if they choose. And the Sunday closing mass brings together all the Convention attendees for a final faith-filled gathering.
• Are there Spanish language workshops or events?
All events and workshops, with the exception of the Vietnamese Conference, are conducted in English.
• What's the best way to register?
It is best to Register Online for the following reasons:
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