Garden Grove, California -- Three members of Crystal Cathedral founder Robert H. Schuller's family were fired from their leadership positions in the ministry, officials confirmed yesterday.
Schuller's daughter, Gretchen Penner, was terminated as one of the producers of the Hour of Power television show, said a cathedral spokesman. Her husband, Jim Penner, was fired from his post as executive producer of the Hour of Power. And Jim Coleman, the husband of senior pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman, was fired as director of creative services.
Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella, abstained from the vote by the board on the terminations, the spokesman said. "So this isn't a family dispute," he said.
It is unclear whether Mrs. Coleman will give the sermon on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Hour of Power program, which once reached millions of viewers across the world, will replay previous episodes for the next few weeks while leaders "determine a new direction for the show."
"Organizational changes affecting ministry leaders are never easy to make, especially when it involves individuals who have devoted their lives to this ministry and have served with great distinction," John Charles, president of Crystal Cathedral Ministries, said
in a statement. He said the moves were prayerfully deemed necessary "in order to make a change in direction for the Hour of Power and reverse recent declining donations and viewership."
This is the latest shake-up for the troubled ministry.
Last month, Mrs. Coleman was removed as CEO and president of the ministries and replaced by Charles, who had held different positions with the cathedral.
At the time, cathedral leaders removed both Mrs. Coleman and Jim Penner from the board of directors.
