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Orange County's Crystal Cathedral Files for Bankruptcy
Detail of the Crystal Cathedral | Photo by loop_oh via Flickr
What looked like a possibly just a few days ago became a reality today. "Crystal Cathedral Ministries, an Orange County landmark and megachurch founded by television evangelist Robert H. Schuller, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday morning," reports the OC Registar .
$55 million in debt, today's filing by the mega-church is over $7.5 million owed to creditors who "filed lawsuits and obtained writ of attachment," according to a Senior Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman in a statement.
Like with many organizations, keeping afloat was tough, thanks to the economy. "In January, the Crystal Cathedral announced it was laying off 50 workers and selling surplus property because of a precipitous drop in contributions," noted the LA Times. Earlier this year it canceled the "Glory of Easter" pageant, which attracted tens of thousands of people each year. The "Hour of Power," however, will be not be affected.
The Garden Grove church, which is also a tourist attraction, has 7,000 members.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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