D'oh! Crystal Cathedral megachurch files for bankruptcy

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (AP) — Crystal Cathedral, the megachurch birthplace of the televangelist show "Hour of Power," filed for bankruptcy Monday in Southern California after struggling to emerge from debt that exceeds $43 million.

In addition to a $36 million mortgage, the Orange County-based church owes $7.5 million to several hundred vendors for services ranging from advertising to the use of live animals in Easter and Christmas services.

The church had been negotiating a repayment plan with vendors, but several filed lawsuits seeking quicker payment, which prompted a coalition formed by creditors to fall apart, church officials said.

"Tough times never last, every storm comes to an end. Right now, people need to hear that message more than ever," Sheila Schuller Coleman, the Cathedral's senior pastor and daughter of the founder, told reporters outside the worship hall.

"Everybody is hurting today. We are no exception," she said.

The church, founded in the mid-1950s by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller Sr., has already ordered major layoffs, cut the number of stations airing the "Hour of Power" and sold property to stay afloat. In addition, the 10,000-member church canceled this year's "Glory of Easter" pageant, which attracts thousands of visitors and is a regional holiday staple.

Vendors owed money by the church formed a committee in April and agreed to a moratorium to negotiate a repayment plan with the Crystal Cathedral.

Kristina Oliver, whose Hemet-based company provided live animals for the church's "Glory of Christmas" manger scene, said she doubts she will recover in full the $57,000 she is owed.


more: http://tinyurl.com/2766wpb

Others, have poverty thrust upon them.

Let's see which version of Christianity lasts.

Yes. That's a CHURCH.

that pointed out the one thing missing from nearly all megachurches was any sort of religious symbolism, that they were all huge concert venues and the only way you could tell they had anything to do with religion was from the torrent of rubbish from the pulpit.

Perhaps in a more enlightened age, far removed from Millennial Fever, those places will be converted into pure concert venues and the prayerful will go to the little neighborhood churches where they can actually find community.

All I can think looking at the monstrosity here is that I'd hate to have to focus those lights. However, I can see it would be a wonderful home for a symphony orchestra.

For a little icing on the cake, I'd like to see a Devildriver concert take place there once they convert it into a concert hall!

Who would worship there? Who?

:woohoo:

be good for some pretty high profit margins for these faith-based vendors.

Good grief. How disgusting.

How many animals did they hire for the pageants, anyway?

Talk about a cult of personality...


Do you suppose there will be a buyer for the CC? Maybe Knotts Berry Farm wants to expand?

Every mega-church is nothing but an entertainment venue for the sheep to see a song and dance, get told they are all Gawd's chosen people, the shouter in the pulpit vilifies all those different from them, and get the money out of their tight little fists.

Schuller was a political shill and snakeoil salesman.

but this brand of Disneyland, show biz, wealth worshiping pseudo religion is an especially toxic strain.

We can only hope to see other "megachurches" shutting their doors as the crappy economy chews up and spits out more of their parishoners.

A dubious benefit of hard times but a benefit nonetheless,

What they didn't get enough dough to pave the streets in gold or what?

Telling me Gawd will solve ALL my problems.

Where is their "Gawd" now?

they're perfect for that.

Everyone touch the radio! Put your hands inside the radio and feel the power. JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESUS!