Thaindian News

By Meena Kar
Oct 19, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Televangelist Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday reported a source. This glass mega church, located in Southern California, was built in 1950, by Rev. Robert H. Schuller Sr. in Garden Grove. The church authority reported that from the beginning of this year, this religious organization could not keep pace with the unprecedented rapid decline in revenue. Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman, Senior Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral said that the reason however is pertained to the recession of the preceding year.

The sources reported that due to a skylarking debt of almost $43 million, the church authority had to file for file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Initially the church came up with a repayment plan with the help of Credit Managers Association of California. But the credit managers association said that they want the church to move faster in this process, which was not a very convenient option for the church authorities. The church has an impressive membership of more than 10,000 people.

However, the huge number of its membership slowly terminated, as there were reports of familial disputes, regarding who would be the next church authority after the retirement of Rev. Robert H. Schuller Sr. Rev. Robert H. Schuller Sr, who retired early this year, was followed by Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman, as the next authority, to upset many trustees. Moreover, the church also decided to terminate 50 workers, after being subjected to the impact of recession. Some of its property has also been sold, in order to cope with the bankruptcy, after it lost a reasonable number of membership. The Church has said that despite its economic crisis, the church will continue with its Sunday services and broadcast the weekly “Hour of Power” telecast. It has also assured that its school Crystal Cathedral Academy and High School will continue to operate.