The Glory of Christmas at Crystal Cathedral

This past week we visited the Crystal Cathedral in Annaheim. It is the "showplace" that is the home of Rev. Schuller of "Hour of Power" fame. In addition to weekly television services viewed by millions, this magnificent Cathedral puts on two performances each year; The Glory of Christmas and The Glory of Easter. Several years ago, we were lucky enough to be here when the Easter presentation was given and this week, we saw the Christmas Celebration.

This is the set that covered the entire altar.



Once the performance began, photography was not allowed so I will try to describe the splendor. Imagine real full size animals with kings in complete finery, each accompanied by an entourage of a dozen servants all in period custom. As the music "Angels We Have Heard On High" plays, real life "angels" float through the air over our heads. How about a five year old that sings like an angel, "What Can I Give...". When shepards are in the fields, sure enough, so are the sheep. Yes, this is an amazing performance; as grand and memorable as The Glory of Easter. And the truly amazing thing is that with all the "spectacle", the birth of Jesus and the simplicity of the event is not lost. If you are ever in the area in December, it needs to be a must see!

The statues, the buildings, and the grounds of the Crystal Cathedral are all beautiful. Here is a sample.






At the base of this sky reaching tower is a simple chapel. And at the center of the chapel is the most amazing lucite sculpture showing Jesus reaching out. I tried to photograph it, but did not do justice.



And, of course, a thirty foot Christmas Tree adorns the grounds. What a way to put us in the Christmas mood!