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| Crystal Cathedral | |
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| Information | |
| Denomination | Reformed Church in America |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Senior Pastor(s) | Dr. Robert H. Schuller |
| Location | |
| Address | Garden Grove, California |
| Country |  United States |
| Website | Crystal Cathdral Official Website |
The Crystal Cathedral is a Protestant Christian megachurch in the city of Garden Grove, in Orange County, California. World-famous architect Philip Johnson designed the main sanctuary building, which was constructed using over 10,000 rectangular panes of glass and can hold 2,900 worshippers. The church is also known for its 320 rank, five manual pipe organ constructed by Fratelli Ruffatti. Designed by Virgil Fox and expanded by Frederick Swann, the instrument incorporates the large Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ built in 1962 for New York's Avery Fisher Hall, and the Ruffatti organ which had been installed in the church's previous sancutary. The rectangular panes of glass are not bolted to the structure; instead they are glued to it using a silicone based glue. This and other measures allow the building to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8.0.
Affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, the church then known as Garden Grove Community Church was founded in 1955 by the Reverend Dr. Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella, and is considered the world's first "seeker sensitive" church. The first church services were held in space rented from the Orange Drive In Theatre. In 1961, the congregation moved to a new sanctuary designed by famed architect, Richard Neutra . Construction on the Cathedral began in 1977 and ended in 1980. The initial estimated cost of the church was $6 million, but the final cost was over $17 million (about $55 million in 2007 dollars). One way Dr. Schuller found to help finance the construction of the Crystal Cathedral was to invite donors to give $500 for each of the 10,000 rectangular panes of glass, which raised over US$5 million by its completion. Upon moving from the old Neutra sanctuary to the new Johnson sanctuary, the congregation changed its name to the Crystal Cathedral Congregation.
One of the church's mission statements is, "Find a need and fill it; find a hurt and heal it."
The Crystal Cathedral broadcasts its church services around the world on a television show called The Hour of Power and provides facilities for those of a similar faith to congregate. The campus services include support groups, Sunday school classes and daily Christian gatherings.
Early on December 16, 2004, 57-year old Johnnie Carl, the cathedral's orchestral conductor, fired several bullets in his office at the cathedral, shortly before the annual Glory of Christmas program was about to begin. The shots were fired in the vacant concourse area and no one was injured. Carl, who suffered from bipolar disorder, ended up committing suicide. In his 29 years as Orchestra Director at the cathedral, Carl wrote more than 3,500 arrangements, including several selections on tenor Daniel Rodriguez's newest inspirational album. Rodriguez, a frequent musical guest at the Sunday services, dedicated his album titled "In The Presence" to Johnnie Carl. Schuller praised Carl's work as conductor and told his congregation that "We can be reassured that he is in heaven."
As of 2005, Dr. Marc Riley (orchestra composer and conductor), Sean Groombridge (organist) and Donald Neuen (choir conductor) lead the music department at the Crystal Cathedral.
On Sunday, January 22, 2006, founder Robert H. Schuller retired as Senior Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. His son, Robert Anthony Schuller, was installed as the second Senior Pastor of the church and head of the Hour of Power TV program. On October 25, 2008, Robert H. Schuller removed his son Robert Anthony from his pastoral role at the Crystal Cathedral, citing "a lack of shared vision".1 In a prepared statement, founder Robert H. Schuller stated that "different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry" with his son "made it necessary ... to part ways in the Hour of Power television ministry."2
The name "Crystal Cathedral" describes the building's size and beauty and does not mean it is a cathedral in the Roman Catholic, Anglican or Lutheran sense of the word: the Reformed Church in America is governed by elders, while a cathedral is usually the term for a church where one finds a bishop's official seat, or cathedra, nor is the sanctuary constructed of crystal. The name reflects Schuller's frequent use of alliteration within his sermon titles, points and book titles.
The Cathedral is renowned for featuring famous celebrities during the Hour of Power services on a regular basis. Notable guests have included musician John Tesh, former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former Vice President Al Gore, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Christian singer Jaci Velasquez, pianist Roger Williams, internationally acclaimed flautist Sir James Galway, Christian singer Joy Williams, Backstreet Boys member and Christian singer Brian Littrell, Christian singer Natalie Grant, former tennis star Michael Chang, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, actor Noah Gray-Cabey, American tenor Daniel Rodriguez, musical group The Oak Ridge Boys, Christian singer Sara Groves, radio talk-show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger, MLB baseball player Kirk Gibson and actor Denzel Washington.
Trivia
- The Crystal Cathedral and its former senior pastor, Dr. Robert H. Schuller, were depicted in Natural Born Kissers, the final episode in the ninth season of The Simpsons. Homer Simpson is dragged nude across the glass roof of the cathedral by a hot air balloon, while Dr. Schuller and the congregation sit aghast below, inside the sanctuary. Dr. Schuller exhorts his congregation to keep their eyes focused on "God's floor" during the ordeal.3
- The Crystal Cathedral was featured on the History Channel program entitled, Building in the Name of God, which profiled the world's great cathedrals.
- The Hour of Power broadcast is the most-watched Christian program in the world, with an estimated average of 20 million viewers tuning in each week.citation needed Dr. Robert Schuller had let his son Anthony be the pastor for the show from January 2006 to October 2008 but cited differences that led to the removal of Anthony from the program.
- The Cathedral was featured on the MTV television series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County during Season 1. The Reverend Robert A. Schuller is the father of a former cast member on the show, Christina. She sang a duet with her sister during the church service on the show.
- The gold cross behind the center of the stage was donated by a Titanic survivor.citation needed
References
- ^ "'Hour of Power' Preacher Removed by Father", FOXNews.com (2008-10-26). Retrieved on 26 October 2008.
- ^ Robert H. Schuller (2008-10-26). "America’s Television Church ― The Church of Tomorrow (news release)", Crystal Cathedral. Retrieved on 27 October 2008.
- ^ The Simpsons: Natural Born Kissers - TV.com
E.M.Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List, Compiled by Allen Kinzey and Sand Lawn, published: Organ Historical Society, Richmond, VA. 1st Edition, 1992, page 124.
External links
- Crystal Cathedral is at coordinates Coordinates:
