...nothing posted on Judge Kwan's door ..I asked a few clerks..looked up the cathedral on the court computer..no info about today ..no reporters, no attorneys..not sure what's going on ..there was a couple who I saw on Monday..they're also wondering..we talked briefly..they mentioned they already have a place purchased for burial at the crystal cathedral ..but unlike some, are not worried about whether the cemetery becomes catholic or not ..they're just curious in general about the outcome ..they asked me if I attend the cathedral & I said yes I do, but "I don't put all my eggs in one basket.."..I've been coming & going at the crystal cathedral since 1984 when our family moved to southern cal ..I've seen people come & go..lots of different associate pastors (only a few who are still with the cc) ..as mentioned in a previous blog I think its really dangerous to put all your money & hope into one specific church building ..as wiith investments, I would encourage people to "diversify" in terms of "the church"..because the church is NOT. a building..its people..the church is the body of christ..parts of which use various buildings around the world to worship our Lord. I encourage protestants to visit some catholic congregations & some catholics to visit some protestant congregations..don't become a "building manager" physically addicted to your church building..we ALL admired Schuller's taste for beauty in the building of the CC ..SOME contributed a LOT, others a little..I hope nobody gave ALL they got or even most of what they have..the building we worship in is NOT that important.. did somebody do a wrong by using up the endowment fund? I don't know if there was any other choice..I don't know if there was supposed to be some checks-&-balances..I just don't know..I assume everything was done in GOOD FAITH..and will continue to assume such unless shown clearly otherwise...& I assume attorneys have advised schullers NOT to say anything "apologetic" or in any way say or do anything that might make them become vulnerable to charges of any sort...I don't know what else to say, if anything, about that, ..other than it makes it difficult for schullers to even attempt any sort of "public relations"..or doing something symbolic such as a large "donation" back to the church (if they have it to give)..altho I remember sheila saying she put her beloved piano up for sale (don't know if it was actually sold or not) ..there's more questions than answers in terms of "could have" or "should have"..& in terms of legal issues & ethics..I remember the guy who flew in from chicago for monday's hearing whispering to me that "We don't know what the attorneys have been telling their clients to do or not to do..."..a good reminder that church has become "big business" ..this is not your nice little church on the end of the street situation..I think something clicked in my mind to that extent a long time ago & partly why I was cautious about putting all my eggs in one basket...I've given financially to the CC (& still do), But also give to to other congregations as well ..that's not only more prudent but also more true to the nature of the true "church" being the worldwide body of Christ & may highlight a danger of putting too much emphasis on a beautiful building that we "fall in love with" as our "church" ..it may be a lesson learned the hard way ..& maybe in this case it was the only way to find out ...even though there's plenty of warnings against it ..sure, u can argue that building something beaautiful is a way of honoring God, but also God is honored by "beautifying" His people..helping eachother attain to the "best that they can be" for the glory of God ..maybe its a reminder that first & foremost our money should go to "people causes" ..but then hindsight is always 20/20 ..I was hoping that with a Catholic buyout...the transition may have positve symbolic protestant-catholic ramifications, but then you hear some "protestants" making some unChristian statements about how they will move their loved ones from the CC ifit becomes a catholic cemetery..that is definitely unChristian..don't they recite the Nicene Creed? if they are members of the CC they are supposed to know & accept the articles of faith of the Reformed Church which includes the Nicene Creed which includes Catholics as fellow Christians..
