About Us
The Santa Barbara County Catholic Charismatic Prayer groups are among the prayer groups served by SCRC (Southern California Renewal Communities). Even before the SCRC came into existence, there were Catholic charismatic prayer groups in Santa Barbara County (40 years).
SCRC
In 1972, with Fr. Ralph Tichenor, SJ, as President, Cardinal Timothy Manning commissioned SCRC to pastor Charismatic prayer groups in the parishes of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. SCRC was established that year as a legal non-profit religious organization to serve this burgeoning Renewal. An SCRC Service Center was opened in 1973.
Today, SCRC provides teaching, communication and guidance in bringing Charismatic Renewal into the heart of the Church. The annual SCRC Catholic Renewal Convention has grown to become the largest gathering of its kind in North America!
Local Prayer Groups
There are currently two charismatic prayer groups meeting regularly in Santa Barbara County:
Santa Barbara (near Goleta) – St. Raphael Church W-6:30 p.m.
5444 Hollister Ave. (Conference Room – next door to the choir room behind the alter of the church)
Contact (805) 967-5641
Map (courtesy of Google). More detailed driving directions are also available at Google.
Santa Barbara (Montecito) – Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Currently, this prayer group is not meeting.
Map (courtesy of Google). More detailed driving directions are also available at Google.
Santa Barbara – Our Lady of Guadalupe Church W-6:00 p.m.
227 No. Nopal Street, Santa Barbara
Contact Phil/Chris Luna (805) 962-1438
Map (courtesy of Google). More detailed driving directions are also available at Google.
What Happens at a Prayer Group?
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the leader of the prayer group and that no two meetings will be the same. The Spirit guides the group, as a group, but He also guides each of us personally in asking us to share in the praises of the Lord.
- It begins with a short general prayer
- It starts with praise and worship.....usually a major part of this is singing to the Lord
- Then we wait for prophetic words and are sensitive to whatever the
Lord is saying to the group. (This may include a scripture that
is read, a vision, a Prophecy, and/or a Word of Knowledge)
- The Gift of Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues may come forth
as led by the Holy Spirit
- Then there is a teaching (prepared ahead of time and generally
will be about 20 minutes)
- Testimonies (personal testimony is given by someone who is prepared to share an experience of God drawing closer etc.)
- Time for praise reports (sharings of what the Lord is doing
in our lives)
- Time to intercede for needs (to intercede is to pray as a group or break up into small groups to pray)
- It ends with thanksgiving to God and perhaps a song or two
Have a specific question? Contact us at:
straphpraiseandworship@west.net
Images (c) FaithClipart.com