Arvella Schuller Testifies Against Crystal Cathedral in $5M Suit
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- (Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Alcorn)Sunday church goers walk near a sign featuring an image of former Crystal Cathedral leader Rev. Robert H. Schuller, who cut off all ties in recent days to the megachurch, following a Sunday church service in Garden Grove, California, March 18, 2012.
By Anugrah Kumar , Christian Post Contributor
November 3, 2012|9:34 am
Arvella Schuller, wife of Crystal Cathedral founder the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, testified Friday before a bankruptcy court in Los Angeles, Calif., in their lawsuit seeking more than $5 million from the ministry they founded over 55 years ago.
Arvella Schuller said she was never paid for her work for the church and that it was "my gift to God," according to The Orange County Register. However, she added, the Hour of Power program was a separate entity, the Crystal Cathedral Ministries, and the two were to be kept separate."My husband and Dr. Billy Graham said, 'We must never allow the television ministry to bankrupt the church," she testified. "The church was kept separate. That was sacred." Evangelist Graham was the executive producer at the beginning in 1970.
In their lawsuit, the Schullers claim that Crystal Cathedral Ministries owes them money based on a contract made several years ago in which it was agreed that administrators would provide the couple with more than $337,000 yearly for housing and insurance and for Robert Harold, Inc., among other payments. Robert Harold, Inc. is the name of the Rev. Schuller's corporation.
The 10-day trial, which began Thursday, will also find out whether Arvella Schuller donated her time for the Hour of Power television show, which she produced and directed from the 1970s until 2007, or got paid. The court will also rule who owns the rights to the television programs still televised around the world, and whether Robert Schuller's "transition agreement" upon leaving as senior pastor in 2005 constitutes a retirement plan or an employment contract.
If Judge Robert Kwan rules that it's an employment contract, damages to Rev. Schuller could be limited to one year's worth of wages.
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One of the Schullers' daughters and her husband, both of whom worked in the ministry, also have claims in the case, which also involves copyright infringement and intellectual property violations.
The opposing counsel repeatedly asked Arvella Schuller in the court on Friday whether a $198,000 annual payment to her and her husband was for her services on the Hour of Power or for her and her husband's intellectual property. She appeared to give different answers, according to The OC Register, but she underlined that royalty and license are separate things.
If the Schuller family is paid the claims, it could seriously jeopardize the future of Crystal Cathedral Ministries, The Los Angeles Times quoted Chief Executive John Charles as saying. "If they pay everything they are asked, then there will be no money for the cathedral," he said.
Arvella Schuller told the court she created the program from her home, and woke up at 4 a.m. each Monday morning to cull the best parts of the previous Sunday's service, and worked around the clock. She met with musicians and the choir, and handled the cameramen, who were good but needed to be told that no, they shouldn't be focusing on a woman's pretty legs, according to the Register. "It took really every day of the week."
The megachurch had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2010. Crystal Cathedral had been facing a growing debt and a leadership struggle since the founder handed over the leadership of the church to his family in 2008. The Rev. Schuller and his wife, who founded the church with a $500 loan, stepped down from the board earlier this year over payment disputes.
Crystal Cathedral Ministries sold its iconic Garden Grove campus to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange last year for $57.5 million, and plans to move to a different property owned by the diocese next summer. The ministry currently pays the diocese rent to use the Garden Grove facilities while in transition.
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5 Followers
Mute
3:12 PM on November 05, 2012
Interesting, the picture of Schuller is by the trash can.
29 Followers
Mute
11:47 AM on November 05, 2012
Christians suing Christians. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
4 Followers
Mute
5:27 PM on November 04, 2012
$337,000 for housing & insurance? obviously ALL megachurch pastors cherry pick the bible... malachi & 10%, pastors should be paid WELL (more that $100,000 a year of salary) what GREED, don't judge me but pastors preach that self is a SIN (yeah right)... the apostle paul worked with his hands as an example to show ...more
$337,000 for housing & insurance? obviously ALL megachurch pastors cherry pick the bible...
malachi & 10%, pastors should be paid WELL (more that $100,000 a year of salary) what GREED, don't judge me but pastors preach that self is a SIN (yeah right)...
the apostle paul worked with his hands as an example to show that HE WAS not in preaching the gospel for the money...while these megachurch pastors (including pat robertson of the 0700 club) are nothing more than greedy leeches...
STOP SENDING PAT ROBERTSON MONEY YOU ARE GULLIBLE IF YOU DO... less
malachi & 10%, pastors should be paid WELL (more that $100,000 a year of salary) what GREED, don't judge me but pastors preach that self is a SIN (yeah right)...
the apostle paul worked with his hands as an example to show that HE WAS not in preaching the gospel for the money...while these megachurch pastors (including pat robertson of the 0700 club) are nothing more than greedy leeches...
STOP SENDING PAT ROBERTSON MONEY YOU ARE GULLIBLE IF YOU DO... less
29 Followers
Mute
11:45 AM on November 05, 2012
kaishinden79 - I am setting up a relief fund for him. Prayfully we can be able to raise the annual $337,000 allowance. This is a great man and he deserves lots of money.
28 Followers
Mute
6:03 PM on November 03, 2012
Why play lotto etc, when you can sue someone for 5 M. {sarcasm off}
10 Followers
Mute
1:11 PM on November 03, 2012
Judgement starts in the house of the Lord. The only foundation that is solid and will stand is the Rock. Jesus Christ.
29 Followers
Mute
11:48 AM on November 05, 2012
heweeps - Dewayne Johnson is Jesus?
19 Followers
Mute
11:13 AM on November 03, 2012
Removed by moderator
10 Followers
Mute
10:36 AM on November 03, 2012
Oh what a tangled web they weaved, When first they practiced to deceive. --THIS is NOT of the Lord. And I highly doubt their "ministry" was EVER of the Lord. ...Debra
28 Followers
Mute
6:00 PM on November 03, 2012
InformingChristians - Love the quote. Heard it from a Godly woman a couple of decades ago. How true! "Oh, what tangled webs we weave, when we first practice to deceive". SHALOM :-))
28 Followers
Mute
6:29 PM on November 03, 2012
theophile - What's your point!
10 Followers
Mute
10:24 AM on November 04, 2012
Thank you, JB. :o)
28 Followers
Mute
5:01 AM on November 05, 2012
InformingChristians - As always, sister. :-))
21 Followers
Mute
10:20 AM on November 03, 2012
God is going to judge that cult. Shame on the mammon seeking croud
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