Rev. and Mrs. Schuller Resign From Crystal Cathedral Board

Just the other day three members of the Schuller family were fired from the big glass church, and today the founding pastor and his wife resigned from the board:

The Rev. Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella, announced "with great sadness" their resignations Saturday from the Crystal Cathedral board of directors.

"We cannot continue to serve on the Board in what has become an adversarial and negative atmosphere, especially since it now seems that it will not be ending anytime soon," Arvella Schuller was quoted as saying in a news release.

Robert Schuller grew the ministry from a congregation that met in a drive-in theater in Orange in 1955 to a thriving megachurch that attracted thousands to its striking building in Garden Grove. Schuller's "Hour of Power" television show drew millions of viewers from across the world.

But a series of financial setbacks led to the megachurch's filing for bankruptcy in October 2010 and the forced sale last month of its 40-acre campus to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Turmoil in the ministry included resignations and firings of family members, including three in the past week. For at least the next several weeks, the once popular television program is going into reruns.

"(Robert and Arvella Schuller are) removing themselves from the governance of the ministry," Carol Schuller Milner, their daughter, said in an interview Saturday. "They're not cutting all ties. They're still planning on worshipping in the congregation."

Another daughter, Sheila Schuller Coleman, remains the cathedral's senior pastor and is expected to deliver the sermon Sunday, but she was recently removed from her position as chief executive officer and president of the ministries.

It's all over but the shouting for the big glass church. I don't see the surviving in any form for much longer.