Religion
Hundreds gather in downtown Fresno for ‘Let Us Worship’ outdoor service
Hundreds of worshipers gathered near City Hall on Saturday night as Christian musician and activist Sean Feucht brought his “Let Us Worship” tour to downtown Fresno.
Some sat on the lawn or grass berms in front of the city government complex while others were scattered nearby and at Mariposa Mall. There were signs reading “Let us worship,” “Blessed are the peacemakers” and “Love you Jesus!” There were baptisms in the City Hall fountain.
A group prayer helped open the event, part religious service, part political rally in opposition to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus-driven lockdown orders that have shut down church services and many other indoor gatherings. A march around City Hall helped conclude the evening.
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Said Feucht: “We’re thankful that we’re allowed to do this in America.”
Later, the crowd sang and clapped along to music.
The mission and the message?
“Bring praises to God and come together as a city in a time where the church is trying to be silenced and we’re just trying to come out here and to say we are worshipers,” said Jose Lattu, pastor at Bethel Christian Center. “We honor and respect our governor, but at the same time we honor our God and serve a mighty God.
“We’re not going to let us be silenced in praising our God. Fresno is in great need at this time for a move of God in our city and we’re here to let our city know that God is in Fresno and there is a revival coming to this city.”
The Fresno stop was just the latest on Feucht’s “Let Us Worship” tour that included a visit to Bakersfield on Friday night. On Sunday he was headed to a rally on a beach near San Diego, then from there east to Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
“It’s really time to take the church outside,” Feucht said ahead of Saturday’s service. “I think the power of what we’re doing here shows that even in the midst of the pandemic, that the church is still going to be the church, and we can gather — and obviously we’re going to try to do it as safe as we can — but it’s significant to be here in downtown Fresno and we’re thankful that we’re allowed to do this in America.”
A Wednesday appearance in Redding drew a crowd of about 5,000 and a sharp response from the Shasta County Health & Human Services Agency, dismayed by the lack of face masks and social distancing amid the pandemic.
“Masks were made available, social distancing was encouraged, and the gathering was held outside as an extra precaution,” Feucht said in an emailed statement after that event, according to the Sacramento Bee.
In Fresno, a booth offered face masks and hand sanitizer along with water to stay hydrated on a night where the temperature still topped 100 degrees as 7 p.m. approached.
It appeared most of those in the main crowd Saturday were not masked; social distancing also proved difficult given the tight area around the stage and the plaza’s fountain.
Fresno city spokesman Mark Standriff said no one connected with the event contacted the city, which instead heard about it in advance through social media. No permit was needed, Standriff said, “as long as they are not blocking the street.”
The Bakersfield stop included speeches by California state Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove and Mayor Karen Goh. It was not immediately clear if any big-name Fresno political leaders were on hand Saturday.
In his website’s plea to “Let Us Worship,” Feucht decries state-mandated shutdowns of church services, though without noting the move came as part of an ongoing effort by health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 by limiting large gatherings where social distancing is difficult.
“States across America, including here in California have shut down church services and even outlawed singing in church,” the website states. “Instagram and Twitter is censoring Christian voices every single day. And every hour that passes they grow bolder in their efforts to silence the faithful.”
Feucht, in his biography at seanfeucht.com, says he is a “missionary, artist, speaker, author, activist, and the founder of multiple worldwide movements.” Those movements include “Hold the Line,” which calls on church members “to vote and stand up for causes of righteousness and justice in the governmental arena.”
He says he has produced, recorded and released more than 22 music albums and co-authored five books. Feucht ran as a Republican in the March primary to represent California’s 3rd Congressional District, finishing third.
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