Church of the Week: Garden Grove Community Church, Los Angeles, CA

Popularly known as "The Crystal Cathedral," Garden Grove Community Church was founded by "The Hour of Power" televangelist Rev. Dr. Robert H. Schuller (who started out with a "drive-in" church located in an actual, old drive-in movie theater) and his wife Arvella. The striking glass-and-steel structure was designed by architect Philip Johnson.

While I've never attended a worship service here, I did have the privilege of visiting in 1994 or thereabouts for several days of meetings related to a writing project.

The Crystal Cathedral is shaped like a giant four-pointed crystal star, with the main "cathedral" rising 12 stories above the ground, featuring a mirror-like exterior composed of some 12,000 panes of glass. From inside, the transparent glass lets in the sunlight and sky to dazzling effect.

The church also boasts one of the largest pipe organs in the world, called the Hazel Wright Pipe Organ, with 5 consoles controlling 270 ranks, 31 digital ranks, and more than 16,000 pipes.