The Crystal Cathedral in California is a Christian church made of thousands of clear glass sheets. It was built in the late 1970s and completed in 1980, and is home to one of the largest congregations of the Reformed Church in America. The building’s design uses over 10,000 glass panels held in place with silicone-based glue, making it resistant to earthquakes. It has a 320-degree pipe organ and can hold just under 3,000 worshipers. The maintenance of the glass is ongoing, and the church has become a standard for the construction of other megachurches. Dr. Robert H. Schuller retired as senior pastor in 2006, and the church continues to minister to an international audience.
The Crystal Cathedral is an important place of worship located in the city of Garden Grove in the state of California in the United States. While not actually constructed of crystal, the Christian church building makes extensive use of thousands of high-quality clear glass sheets. The design offers a striking appearance that can be seen for miles and provides a home for one of the largest congregations of the Reformed Church in America.
While the Crystal Cathedral is often referred to as a megachurch, the building was actually constructed long before the term came into common usage. Work on the cathedral was begun in the late 1970s under the auspices of Garden Grove Community Church. The pastor of the congregation, Dr. Robert H. Schuller, had been with the church since its inception in 1955. Completed in 1980, Crystal Cathedral became home to not only the Garden Grove Community Church congregation, but also the base of operations for broadcasting Dr. Schuller to broadcasters nationwide.
The design of the Crystal Cathedral involves the use of over ten thousand individual panes of glass. Panels are used for both walls and ceilings in the overall design. Instead of being bolted to the frame, the glasses are held in place with the use of a silicone-based glue. This approach allows the Crystal Cathedral to resist minor tremors that are common in the area, as well as resist during earthquakes.
When finished, the church housed just under three thousand worshipers in the main sanctuary. Along with the distinctive design, the Crystal Cathedral houses a beautiful 320-degree pipe organ which is considered to be among the best in the country. When the congregation began meeting in the building following its completion and dedication, they formally changed their name to Crystal Cathedral Congregation.
The maintenance of the Crystal Cathedral is an ongoing process. The safety of the glass is checked regularly and replacements are made as needed. Due to the building’s massive exposure through local ministries and broadcasting, the Cathedral’s function has become a standard for the construction of other megachurches, although none to date use glass components to the same extent. The high visibility afforded by the Crystal Cathedral project has also enabled the congregation to develop a wide range of ministries which are collectively managed under the name Crystal Cathedral Ministries.
On January 22, 2006, Dr. Schuller has officially retired as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. Since that time, Dr. Robert A. Schuller carried on his father’s work as pastor of the church. The Crystal Cathedral continues to minister to an international audience and is frequently visited by people of different faiths.
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