Saddleback Church Takes Over Crystal Cathedral Retreat Center

UPDATE 10/18/10: Crystal Cathedral files for bankruptcy.

Looks like the various retreats and meetings conducted by Saddleback Church will have a new place to go:

LAKE FOREST – Saddleback Church – headed by Pastor Rick Warren – on Tuesday announced a deal to lease and take full responsibility for the 170-acre Crystal Cathedral retreat property in San Juan Capistrano.

The property has been purchased by Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. of Oklahoma City, officials said.

The Rancho Capistrano property – nestled in the hills adjacent to the 5 Freeway – will become an overnight retreat for personal renewal, group fellowship and life planning.

"We are grateful to Dr. Robert Schuller and the Crystal Cathedral Ministries for their stewardship of this unique ministry facility and to Hobby Lobby for allowing us to continue the longstanding legacy of Donna and John Crean and their family to change lives by providing hope and spiritual renewal," Warren said.

The Lake Forest-based mega church, which celebrated its 30th anniversary on Easter and has more than 22,000 members, has been in negotiations with the financially-strapped Crystal Cathedral for 18 months for the property.

Sheila Schuller Coleman, daughter of cathedral founder Robert H. Schuller, issued a statement Tuesday saying the sale of Rancho Capistrano will reduce the megachurch's debt by 30 percent. However, church spokesman John Charles declined to release the amount for which the property was sold.

This may cost Calvary Chapel some money because a lot of the Saddleback retreats used to go to their retreat facililty in Murrieta. I attended a Men's Retreat there many moons ago.