California

Members of the California-based Crystal Cathedral ministries seem to be more and more anxious about the church’s bankruptcy case, with some expressing fear that losing their decades-old house of worship might damage the integrity of the church. The decision of whether the property will be sold to a Catholic organization or to a local university with Protestant roots is to fall tonight.

After the 10,000-member strong Garden Grove, Calif., Protestant megachurch was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2010, following a long financial struggle, the founding pastor, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, who manages the church together with family members, was forced to put the landmark glass-pane-covered property on the market in September.

Currently, two Orange County institutions are battling to purchase the 50-acre property in a Santa Ana bankruptcy court – Chapman University and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. On Wednesday, Chapman University increased its bid to $59 million, in a challenge to the Diocese's of Orange's $57.5 increase offer made Monday, as reported by CP. more >>

Two Christian institutions battling to purchase the 50-acre Garden Grove, Calif., property belonging to the indebted Crystal Cathedral Ministry have both sweetened their deals, which caused the final decision in the case to be rescheduled to Thursday, according to a hearing Monday in a Santa Ana bankruptcy court.

Chapman University, one of two major bidders trying to buy the property of bankruptcy-entangled Crystal Cathedral Ministry, added a twist to its bid, offering the church a $1-a-month lease, local media reported. The university reportedly originally proposed a $150,000 lease to the church's founder the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, so that the congregation can continue to assemble at its landmark building featuring a glass covered building. The university, an Orange County-based private school affiliated with a Protestant organization called the Disciples of Christ, was also offering a buyback option once the church gets back on its feet in 5 years, but the new lease would cancel that possibility, the Orange County Register reported.

Chapman University President James Doti reportedly said during the hearing that the school is willing to offer the core buildings, including the cathedral, the Tower of Hope, Memorial Gardens and Arboretum for $1-a-month lease. But the university has not raised its bid for the piece of real estate, which remains at $51.5 million. more >>

A federal judge ruled that a California school had the authority to ban student displays of the American flag on Cinco de Mayo. Parents of some of the students had sued the school on First Amendment grounds, arguing that their child’s freedom of speech rights had been violated. They also argued that the school violated their 14th Amendment right to equal protection under the law and their freedom of expression rights under the California constitution.

The principal of Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Calif., argued the ban was necessary to provide for the safety of the students. The school's ban on American flag displays stemmed from a clash between white and Latino students on May 5, 2009.

Most Mexican-Americans, and increasingly more Americans, celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for “fifth of May,” a Mexican holiday celebrating Mexico's victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. more >>

A judge is expected to decide Monday whether bankrupt Crystal Cathedral's campus will be sold to Chapman University or the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, a decision that could mean an end to the Garden Grove megachurch's iconic era.

Crystal Cathedral Ministries, which claims more than 10,000 members and broadcasts the popular televised service, "The Hour of Power," owes an estimated $50 million to creditors, which forced the founding pastor, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, and his family to put the property up for sale after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2010. The signature property is a local landmark, with the church building made of an estimated 10,000 glass panes.

Potential buyers of the megachurch's property has been now narrowed down to two potential buyers: Chapman University, an Orange County-based private university affiliated with a Protestant organization called the Disciples of Christ, which is the preferred bidder chosen by the Schullers, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, which is located close by and is the highest bidder. more >>

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange has increased its offer to $55.4 million for Crystal Cathedral Ministries' property, in an ongoing squabble over who gets to purchase the indebted megachurch's 40-acre Garden Grove, Calif., real estate.

The diocese has increased its bid by $1.8 million, The Orange County Register reported, based on a Wednesday court hearing.

The megachurch, which claims more than 10,000 members and broadcasts the popular televised service, "The Hour of Power," owes an estimated $50 million to creditors, which forced the founding pastor, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, and his family to put the property on sale after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2010. more >>

The Tenderloin district of San Francisco is one square mile. There are 37,000 people in that one square mile living in 586 apartment buildings. And San Francisco City Impact wants to plant a church in every single one of those apartments.

Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love and former pastor of Cornerstone Community Church, is working with the new initiative, called Adopt a Building. SFCI provides food, clothing and housing for those in the San Francisco area. Christian Huang, operations director for the new initiative, told The Christian Post that Adopt a Building is filling a need in the community that wasn’t being met before. It was the “missing component of City Impact,” he said.

The idea is simple. First they pick a building and get a prayer team together to start praying for residents in the building. Then a “grace team” is assembled to knock on the doors of every residence in the building. more >>