Crystal Cathedral Congregants' Move to Catholic Church 'Significant for Revival'
The Crystal Cathedral Ministries congregation will be moving to a new location next summer, it was announced on Thursday, with the ministry's leader calling the move a "significant step" in their revival.
The famed Crystal Cathedral building was purchased by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County in February with a stipulation that the ministry would have three years to relocate, but on Thursday the ministry announced that as part of its overall renewal it would be moving in June 2013.
The ministry currently pays $100,000 in monthly rent to the diocese to stay in the iconic glass building, but president and CEO John Charles believes that the move will be significant to the overall renewal of the ministry.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"This is another important step in the revival that has been taking place at the Crystal Cathedral," Charles said in a statement to Reuters.
The ministry will be moving to St. Callistus Church, a nearby Catholic church in the Orange County, Calif., suburb of Garden Grove. Under an agreement with the diocese the ministry will have free rent through Dec. 2013. Rent will increase to $25,000 a month after December.
Crystal Cathedral Ministries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Oct. 2010 and the landmark campus was sold on a bankruptcy court's order for $57 million.
The ministry has been under the direction of Charles since monetary and leadership disputes led to the departure of all remaining members of the Schuller family this past March. The Schullers founded the ministry over five decades ago under the Rev. Robert H. Schuller. The ministry gained worldwide fame for its "Hour of Power" worship broadcasts.
The Catholic Diocese of Orange plans to reveal a new name for the Crystal Cathedral this weekend. Beyond changing the name of the building, the diocese also has plans to change the design of the cathedral.
