<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><font face="Georgia, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 15px;" class="">“Faucet&nbsp;claimed in his Facebook post that he had permission from Redding leaders, including the mayor and the city council, not to mention the city’s “spiritual fathers” – to proceed with the outdoor worship service at the Sundial Bridge in Redding….”</span></font></div><div class=""><h1 class="post-title" style="margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; float: left; clear: left;"><br class=""></h1><h1 class="post-title" style="margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; float: left; clear: left;">Bethel Beneath the Bridge: Thousands Flock to Sundial Bridge to Worship During a Pandemic</h1><div style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(170, 170, 170); text-transform: uppercase;" class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div class="ANC2015-byline" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; clear: left; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">By&nbsp;<a href="https://anewscafe.com/author/admin/" title="Posts by Doni Chamberlain" rel="author" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Doni Chamberlain</a></span>&nbsp;<span style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">July 23, 2020</span>&nbsp;<span style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><a href="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/#comments" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class=""><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: FontAwesome; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline-block; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-rendering: auto; width: 1em; text-align: center;"></span>248</a></span>&nbsp;<span style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><a href="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/print/" title="Printer friendly" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class=""><img class="WP-PrintIcon" alt="Printer friendly" title="Printer friendly" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; transition: opacity 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s ease;" apple-inline="yes" id="D4F392A5-42DC-4EDA-ADEB-1F3E1A3092AC" height="16" width="16" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:F037CE91-0B3C-496B-9FBE-17A1043F0971@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></a></span><span style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><div class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_16 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/" data-a2a-title="Bethel Beneath the Bridge: Thousands Flock to Sundial Bridge to Worship During a Pandemic" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; outline: 0px;"><a class="addtoany_share a2a_dd addtoany_share_save" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fanewscafe.com%2F2020%2F07%2F23%2Fredding%2Fbethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic%2F&amp;title=Bethel%20Beneath%20the%20Bridge%3A%20Thousands%20Flock%20to%20Sundial%20Bridge%20to%20Worship%20During%20a%20Pandemic" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: middle; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease; box-shadow: none; display: inline-block; cursor: pointer;"><img alt="Share" srcset="https://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_342_32.png 2x" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; transition: opacity 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s ease; display: inline-block; opacity: 1; overflow: hidden;" apple-inline="yes" id="C9C51801-8793-4C0E-8509-FE347075B2A5" height="16" width="171" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:DA4E67A9-4AA7-42BD-B043-377DE309EBF9@hsd1.ca.comcast.net." class=""></a></div></span></div><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class=""></p><div class="clear" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; overflow: hidden; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"></div><div class="entry" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6em; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="entry-inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div id="attachment_120998" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120998" data-attachment-id="120998" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-feucht/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht.jpg" data-orig-size="640,480" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 8 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595446495&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;160&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel believers with raised hands worship with Feucht" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-420x315.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-600x450.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120998" alt="" width="420" height="315" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-420x315.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-600x450.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht.jpg 640x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="E2F501F4-2F3E-44F1-AF46-AE3A87B93988" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:59A21C40-A39D-4805-AB1C-B4B73C0E7763@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Let Us Worship</em>&nbsp;participants crowd around Sean Feucht and musicians. Photo by Steve DuBois.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Approaching the Sundial Bridge in Redding last night, the first indication that something big was happening was the sight of vehicles; hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them. Parked cars, trucks, vans, bikes and Segways covered all available asphalt, parking lots and dirt areas around the Redding Civic Auditorium, the Sundial Bridge/Turtle Bay, the Sheraton Hotel, and even the Redding Rodeo grounds.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Those who couldn’t find parking along Auditorium Drive parked along Park Marina Drive and walked across the freeway overpass, carrying folding chairs and children, as if heading for Redding’s annual Freedom Festival fireworks show.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Of course, this year, because of the pandemic, the Civic Auditorium grounds were off limits for watching the annual fireworks display. Strangely, however, last night in Redding the pandemic didn’t interfere with a Bethel Church-related event that drew thousands of people from not just the North State, but from far outside Shasta County’s borders.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Next came the sound that amplified for miles; a cacophony of musical instruments and harmonizing human voices lifted in heavenly songs, punctuated with the roar of cheers, yells, whoops and applause. These sounds reverberated across the Sacramento River from beneath the Sundial Bridge. This is a popular place for musicians to practice, not just because of its close proximity to the beautiful Sacramento River, but because of the echoing acoustics provided by the famous pedestrian bridge’s sweeping curved walls, covered in thousands of tiny white imported Italian mosaic tiles, each placed by hand.</p><div id="attachment_120993" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120993" data-attachment-id="120993" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-from-the-river/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-from-the-river.jpg" data-orig-size="750,502" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 8 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595447543&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;40&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0082644628099174&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel beneath the bridge from the river" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-from-the-river-420x281.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-from-the-river-600x402.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120993" alt="" width="420" height="281" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-from-the-river-420x281.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-from-the-river-600x402.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-from-the-river.jpg 750x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="8643CA45-054C-4AAE-988E-05EC2C88FF97" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:E895C556-720E-4614-B52E-AD40AD7BADC2@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">From the Turtle Bay Museum side of the Sundial Bridge, the crowd could be seen below the bridge, up the hillside, and flanking both sides of the bridge. Photo by Steve DuBois.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">A security guard who stood watch at the Sundial Bridge entrance estimated that about 5,000 people had crossed the bridge Wednesday night for the outdoor Bethel Church-affiliated service that began at 7:30 p.m. sharp and lasted until about 9 p.m.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“That’s my best guess,” the security guard said with a shrug when asked to surmise how many people were there that night.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“A lot of people, that’s for sure.”</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Minor understatement.</p><div id="attachment_120994" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120994" data-attachment-id="120994" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-crush/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crush.jpg" data-orig-size="640,480" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 8 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595446830&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;160&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel crush" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crush-420x315.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crush-600x450.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120994" alt="" width="420" height="315" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crush-420x315.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crush-600x450.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crush.jpg 640x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="BC2A6121-93A7-407E-B7D7-6AE9C7E950B6" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:E602C7B9-5E8D-487F-869A-D44EAA0A496A@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">A mob of Bethel believers crowd the pathway that leads beneath the Sundial Bridge for a glimpse of the area where Sean Feucht spoke and musicians performed. Photo by Steve DuBois.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Mike Mangas of KRCR TV reported on his Facebook page Wednesday night that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bethel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Bethel Church</a>&nbsp;leadership said the huge gathering of Bethel Church members under the Sundial Bridge in Redding was not a sanctioned church event. Mangas said Shasta County Public Health said they were told by the organizer that it would be a “small” gathering, so a permit was not required.</p><div id="attachment_120984" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120984" data-attachment-id="120984" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-mike-mangas-krcr/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-Mike-Mangas-KRCR.jpg" data-orig-size="960,720" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel under the bridge by Mike Mangas KRCR" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-Mike-Mangas-KRCR-420x315.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-Mike-Mangas-KRCR-600x450.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120984" alt="" width="420" height="315" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-Mike-Mangas-KRCR-420x315.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-Mike-Mangas-KRCR-600x450.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-Mike-Mangas-KRCR-768x576.jpg 768x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-under-the-bridge-by-Mike-Mangas-KRCR.jpg 960x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="8E4E2AAF-659B-40C4-BFF8-538B4AE7DBD7" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:8207E4BC-9B4B-4EFF-B7B4-D3C17CC45D39@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Thousands of Bethel Church members gather to worship beneath the Sundial Bridge in Redding Wednesday evening. Photo by Mike Mangas, KRCR TV.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">The event, called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seanfeucht.com/events" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Let Us Worship,</a>&nbsp;was far from a small gathering, as mobs of Bethel believers and supporters descended in droves upon the Sundial Bridge area.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Because Bethel Church draws parishioners from around the world, a variety of accents and languages could be heard spoken throughout the crowd. A bridge of Babel, if you will.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">The masses filled the concrete area under the bridge. The overflow audience was scattered along the adjacent grassy hillside.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><img data-attachment-id="121001" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-overflow-2/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-overflow-1.jpg" data-orig-size="640,480" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 8 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595447139&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel overflow" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-overflow-1-420x315.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-overflow-1-600x450.jpg" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-121001" alt="" width="420" height="315" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-overflow-1-420x315.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-overflow-1-600x450.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-overflow-1.jpg 640x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 18px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; clear: both; display: block;" apple-inline="yes" id="FCD2C435-4F26-469F-BF70-C11784232471" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:89423296-B77E-42D1-BC15-4FC08D2234DA@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">People packed tightly together along the curving path that meandered to the bridge’s underside, where, at nightfall, people were bathed the blue light through the bridge’s glass panels above.</p><div id="attachment_121003" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-121003" data-attachment-id="121003" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-blue/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-scaled.jpg" data-orig-size="2560,2321" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.7&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-A505U&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595452518&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.93&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.1&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Bethel blue" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-420x381.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-600x544.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-121003" alt="" width="420" height="381" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-420x381.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-600x544.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-768x696.jpg 768x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-1536x1393.jpg 1536x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bethel-blue-2048x1857.jpg 2048x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="F4A05D26-8BA1-461F-BCC9-0DC8F6162F75" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:961AC285-3342-4CB4-B9CF-666C5D180289@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">After the event ended at 9 p.m., many people stayed behind. Photo by Doni Chamberlain.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">While some adults hung out after the event was over to talk or pray or worship, some children played, shimmied up the cables above the bridge, or scooted along the tiled walls below.</p><div id="attachment_120999" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120999" data-attachment-id="120999" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-child-on-bridge/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge.jpg" data-orig-size="2336,1477" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.7&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-A505U&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595452708&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.93&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.1&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel child on bridge" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge-420x266.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge-600x379.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120999" alt="" width="420" height="266" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge-420x266.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge-600x379.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge-768x486.jpg 768x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge-1536x971.jpg 1536x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-child-on-bridge-2048x1295.jpg 2048x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="15DB0CF2-0670-4CDB-A391-3841F590B762" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:6932E408-055D-44EA-B494-A01609AFA8BC@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Children played while adults mingled after the event. One little girl scooted up one of the bridge’s tiled walls. Photo by Doni Chamberlain</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Let Us Worship</em>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seanfeucht.com/events" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">was organized by Sean Feucht,</a>&nbsp;former Bethel Church School of Supernatural Ministry student, and former political candidate who was badly beaten in his bid for Congress. Faucht’s website describes him as a missionary, artist, speaker, author, activist and the founder of multiple worldwide movements such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.burn24-7.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Burn 24/7</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lightacandle.global/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Light a Candle</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seanfeucht.com/hold-the-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Hold the Line</a>, “a political activist movement seeking to rally the global church to engage in their civic duty – to vote and stand up for causes of righteousness and justice in the governmental arena.”</p><div id="attachment_120985" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 387px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120985" data-attachment-id="120985" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/sean-f/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-F.png" data-orig-size="534,566" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Sean F" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-F-377x400.png" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-F.png" class="size-medium wp-image-120985" alt="" width="377" height="400" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-F-377x400.png 377x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-F.png 534x" sizes="(max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="2616C4F8-BB89-4433-81FF-3038B9AE1D00" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:5EB4AB60-D346-49FD-9D9D-0BDFE0728E7F@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Sean Feucht, former Congressional candidate and former Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry student, organized a Bethel Church affiliated worship service beneath the Sundial Bridge in Redding Wednesday evening. Photo source: Sean Feucht’s website.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">He may be a political loser, but he’s a winner when it comes to persuading his Christian brothers and sisters to financially support his dreams. Case in point, according to one source, Feucht raised approximately $15,000 in donations to remodel his vintage ’70s Airstream, or as&nbsp;<a href="https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158363807462487&amp;id=26629742486" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Feucht calls it, his “revival camper”.</a></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">According to a Wednesday afternoon post on Feucht’s Facebook page, he’d been in contact with Redding leaders who’d approved of the event:</p><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 50px; border-width: 0px 1px 1px 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; quotes: none; position: relative; background-color: rgb(242, 242, 242);" class=""><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“TONIGHT ITS REDDING’S TURN .&nbsp;</em><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Praying over tonight’s epic location next under the Sundial Bridge for the outdoor #LetUsWorship gathering.</em></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">I have been in talks with our mayor, city council &amp; spiritual fathers of the city. We want to honor them by spreading out (there’s lots of room) and wearing masks if you are able. We will bring extras if you don’t have one!</em></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Come ready to worship, come ready to pray, come ready to bless our city!</em></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">#LetUsWorship #Redding</em></div></blockquote><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Despite saying he wanted to “honor” Redding’s leaders by spreading out and maintaining social distancing at the “epic location”, the reality was there was not “lots of room” available. A crush of people spread over the grounds surrounding the Sundial Bridge like an army of hungry ants over a picnic lunch.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">It blows my mind that if Feucht did, in fact, speak with the mayor and city council members, that all those people – let alone ONE person – would have approved this event, with or without a permit.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Feucht’s Facebook statement begs the question: Who<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">&nbsp;are</em>&nbsp;the city’s spiritual fathers, and what authority would they have to allow a religious event of this magnitude on public property?</p><div id="attachment_120992" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120992" data-attachment-id="120992" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-crowd-spills-out-onto-the-path/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crowd-spills-out-onto-the-path.jpg" data-orig-size="640,480" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 8 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595447246&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;20&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0059880239520958&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel crowd spills out onto the path" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crowd-spills-out-onto-the-path-420x315.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crowd-spills-out-onto-the-path-600x450.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120992" alt="" width="420" height="315" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crowd-spills-out-onto-the-path-420x315.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crowd-spills-out-onto-the-path-600x450.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-crowd-spills-out-onto-the-path.jpg 640x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="E2A9951E-9DDA-48FE-B15C-257506B5F8DB" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:D28F2958-752B-4D62-8D94-262CF46B72C1@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Thousands of Bethel Church members and supporters filled the space beneath the Sundial Bridge, overflowed onto the path, and up the hillsides. Photo by Steve DuBois.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Bethel Church’s official stance is that it did not sanction the Wednesday night Sundial Bridge event. However, that statement loses credibility in the face of a post on Beni Johnson’s Facebook page that promoted the event.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bethel.com/leadership/bill-johnson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Johnson is a Bethel leader, married to Bill Johnson, Bethel’s lead senior pastor.</a></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><img data-attachment-id="121061" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/beni-johnson-screen-grab/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Beni-Johnson-screen-grab.png" data-orig-size="210,401" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Beni Johnson screen grab" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Beni-Johnson-screen-grab.png" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Beni-Johnson-screen-grab.png" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-121061" alt="" width="210" height="401" style="margin: 18px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; clear: both; display: block;" apple-inline="yes" id="FDF109F0-554E-4301-AC52-0F9CF793783E" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:904BEF8A-2401-494F-A9D3-98A1B15F7EE5@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">People sang, jumped, danced, prayed and hugged. Three women wearing black tops and black shorts went into the river. “We did it!” one shouted. Some young women waved colorful cloths in time to the music. Everyone jockeyed to inch closer to the the center of the action, where Feucht spoke and led worship music, accompanied by Bethel Church musicians.</p><div id="attachment_120996" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120996" data-attachment-id="120996" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-believers-crowd-around-sean-feucht-and-the-bethel-musicians/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-crowd-around-Sean-Feucht-and-the-Bethel-musicians.jpg" data-orig-size="640,480" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 8 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595446563&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel believers crowd around Sean Feucht and the Bethel musicians" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-crowd-around-Sean-Feucht-and-the-Bethel-musicians-420x315.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-crowd-around-Sean-Feucht-and-the-Bethel-musicians-600x450.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120996" alt="" width="420" height="315" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-crowd-around-Sean-Feucht-and-the-Bethel-musicians-420x315.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-crowd-around-Sean-Feucht-and-the-Bethel-musicians-600x450.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-crowd-around-Sean-Feucht-and-the-Bethel-musicians.jpg 640x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="F64E8A4C-EDAB-4804-9EC3-646FB3E02C3B" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:32F1AA9A-F2FB-4549-86C6-CC00D7E36286@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Bethel members and believers crowd around Sean Feucht, seen right of center. Photo by Steve DuBois.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">After about 9 p.m.&nbsp; Feucht and the musicians packed up their gear and left. A few hundred worshippers stayed behind to mingle and lay hands upon one another in prayer.</p><div id="attachment_120991" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120991" data-attachment-id="120991" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-prayer/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer.jpg" data-orig-size="2335,2070" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.7&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-A505U&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595452498&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.93&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.058823529411765&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel prayer" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer-420x372.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer-600x532.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120991" alt="" width="420" height="372" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer-420x372.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer-600x532.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer-768x681.jpg 768x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer-1536x1362.jpg 1536x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-prayer-2048x1816.jpg 2048x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="C29A6733-4F54-4D16-AB12-6327C9D7567B" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:617C7E24-BDF7-45A6-BB22-0C3C0532F681@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">After the service, worshippers pray for a man.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Face masks were as rare on this Redding evening as mittens and snow parkas in July.</p><div id="attachment_120997" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 298px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120997" data-attachment-id="120997" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-church-at-sundial-july-22-2020/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-church-at-sundial-july-22-2020.png" data-orig-size="288,172" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel church at sundial july 22 2020" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-church-at-sundial-july-22-2020.png" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-church-at-sundial-july-22-2020.png" class="wp-image-120997 size-full" alt="" width="288" height="172" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="64F34049-D441-41A8-88D6-EFAA5EE28F99" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:B8E8E511-4CDB-4C4C-9592-05489BB79B07@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Face masks were a rarity at the event, although Sean Feucht announced at the onset of the evening that he had masks available for those who wanted any. It’s unknown whether anyone took him up on his offer. Photo source: Facebook video screen grab.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Feucht, best known in evangelical Christian circles for his&nbsp;<a href="https://seanfeucht.com/store/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Christian music albums,&nbsp;</a>is a big deal with the Bethel crowd, espeically after his run for Congress in the&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/California%27s_3rd_Congressional_District" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Third Congressional District,</a>&nbsp;an area that includes Colusa, Sutter and Yuba counties. Earlier this year, Feucht joined other evangelicals, including many from Bethel Church, for a photo op with President Trump at the White House.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><a href="https://anewscafe.com/2020/02/06/redding/sean-feucht-for-congress-and-the-new-religion-of-politics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(59, 141, 189); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition: 0.2s ease; -webkit-transition: 0.2s ease;" class="">Click here for a Feb. 6 story by reporter Annelise Pierce with more details: “Sean Feught for Congress and the New Religion of Politics</a>.”</p><div id="attachment_121054" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 333px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-121054" data-attachment-id="121054" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/feucht-touching-trump/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/feucht-touching-trump.jpg" data-orig-size="720,892" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="feucht touching trump" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/feucht-touching-trump-323x400.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/feucht-touching-trump-600x743.jpg" class="wp-image-121054 size-medium" alt="" width="323" height="400" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/feucht-touching-trump-323x400.jpg 323x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/feucht-touching-trump-600x743.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/feucht-touching-trump.jpg 720x" sizes="(max-width: 323px) 100vw, 323px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="02367774-0B09-4443-ABFA-8E67012B24D2" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:E088795D-D921-4F6A-8671-1040647ED120@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">In this Facebook screen grab, Sean Feucht can be seen with his hand on President Trump’s forearm during a group photo of evangelical Christians taken in the Oval Office.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">For a time, he was rubbing shoulders with some of the country’s top Republicans.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><img data-attachment-id="120986" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/sean-feucht-for-congress/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feucht-for-congress.jpg" data-orig-size="894,677" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Sean Feucht for congress" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feucht-for-congress-420x318.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feucht-for-congress-600x454.jpg" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-120986" alt="" width="420" height="318" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feucht-for-congress-420x318.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feucht-for-congress-600x454.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feucht-for-congress-768x582.jpg 768x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feucht-for-congress.jpg 894x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 18px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; clear: both; display: block;" apple-inline="yes" id="7F7E3CA2-DDB5-4CE4-894F-F9FFC820385C" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:62F7E4F6-D982-47A6-8629-2EF191929F04@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">On Feucht’s Facebook page, as he spoke about the event that would soon happen, his friends and supporters from all over the world were euphoric and excited, especially when Feucht asked if he should live stream the event.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Yes! Please live stream!&nbsp;</em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">And so, he did.</p><div class="video-container" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 263.0249938964844px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; height: 0px; overflow: hidden;"><div id="fb-root" class=" fb_reset" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none; border-spacing: 0px; cursor: auto; direction: ltr; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; overflow: visible; text-shadow: none; visibility: visible; word-spacing: normal;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -10000px; width: 0px; height: 0px;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""></div></div></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div class="fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop fb_iframe_widget fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/sean.feucht/videos/715823765921732/" data-width="720" fb-xfbml-state="rendered" fb-iframe-plugin-query="app_id=&amp;container_width=724&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsean.feucht%2Fvideos%2F715823765921732%2F&amp;locale=en_US&amp;sdk=joey&amp;width=720" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline-block; position: relative; max-width: 100%;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: bottom; display: inline-block; position: relative; text-align: justify; max-width: 100%; width: 720px; height: 831px;" class=""><iframe name="f20dcf2f759b62e" width="720px" height="1000px" data-testid="fb:video Facebook Social Plugin" title="fb:video Facebook Social Plugin" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media" src="https://www.facebook.com/v7.0/plugins/video.php?app_id=&amp;channel=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticxx.facebook.com%2Fx%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter%2F%3Fversion%3D46%23cb%3Dfb186652b971d%26domain%3Danewscafe.com%26origin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fanewscafe.com%252Ff30cebbeef0cc08%26relation%3Dparent.parent&amp;container_width=724&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsean.feucht%2Fvideos%2F715823765921732%2F&amp;locale=en_US&amp;sdk=joey&amp;width=720" class="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 720px; height: 831px; max-width: 100%; min-width: 220px; visibility: visible;"></iframe></span></div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">And as Feucht and his crew set up for the event, Feucht posted an image on his Facebook page to show that people were already arriving: “35 mins before we start and its filling out!!!!”</p><div id="attachment_120987" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120987" data-attachment-id="120987" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/sean-feuchts-facebook-page/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feuchts-facebook-page.jpg" data-orig-size="960,718" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Sean Feucht’s facebook page" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feuchts-facebook-page-420x314.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feuchts-facebook-page-600x449.jpg" class="wp-image-120987 size-medium" alt="" width="420" height="314" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feuchts-facebook-page-420x314.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feuchts-facebook-page-600x449.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feuchts-facebook-page-768x574.jpg 768x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sean-Feuchts-facebook-page.jpg 960x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="F006D4FA-8363-4341-B671-ECF4E90D4941" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:4EB5BD38-1E51-4FA8-A98C-69DA7E8EDCF1@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">During set-up, before the crowds arrived in earnest. Photo source: Sean Feucht’s Facebook page.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“Awesome move of God!”<br class=""></em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“Praise God!”<br class=""></em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“Yes come on revival fire”</em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“I proclaim and decree Psalm 91 over the gatherings. And I declare, Immanuel (sic) as the war cry of these gatherings.”<br class=""></em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“Come to West Virginia please. Let the Fire fall tonight..Hallelujah!”<br class=""></em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">However, there were some people who criticized Feucht for organizing an event that would bring so many people en masse to Redding in the middle of a deadly pandemic.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“You WILL be held personally responsible if there is a surge in Covid 19 cases in Shasta County based on your ridiculous “gathering”&nbsp;</em>wrote one person<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">.&nbsp;</em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“And, by the way, the City Council of Redding cannot speak for the citizens of the whole of Shasta County. You might want to prepare for lawsuits.”</em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">“So much for masks &amp; social distancing,”&nbsp;</em>wrote another.<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">&nbsp;“… guess they want Shasta County to shut down… wow…”<br class=""></em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Some Redding residents heard about the upcoming event, and tried official channels to stop it. Patrick Archer of the&nbsp; Facebook group, “Investigating Bethel Redding CA” posted a message on the group’s page that he said he’d emailed to Redding’s Police Chief, Bill Schueller.<img data-attachment-id="121008" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/patrick-archer-to-rpd/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/patrick-archer-to-RPD.png" data-orig-size="491,532" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="patrick archer to RPD" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/patrick-archer-to-RPD-369x400.png" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/patrick-archer-to-RPD.png" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-121008" alt="" width="369" height="400" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/patrick-archer-to-RPD-369x400.png 369x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/patrick-archer-to-RPD.png 491x" sizes="(max-width: 369px) 100vw, 369px" style="margin: 18px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; clear: both; display: block;" apple-inline="yes" id="84B64DC2-1BEF-4FB0-80CF-5EAB1DE4C2EA" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:C2E33DE3-CEE8-4DCF-AC43-0FB4EDCAD112@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">As Archer mentioned, the Wednesday night Bethel-affiliated gathering in Redding was just one of many similar outdoor worship services being held across the country. Most recently was a well-attended Feucht-endorsed event in Huntington Beach that boasted thousands of believers in attendance.</p><div id="attachment_120989" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120989" data-attachment-id="120989" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/huntington-beach-event/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Huntington-Beach-event.jpg" data-orig-size="959,640" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Huntington Beach event" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Huntington-Beach-event-420x280.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Huntington-Beach-event-600x400.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120989" alt="" width="420" height="280" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Huntington-Beach-event-420x280.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Huntington-Beach-event-600x400.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Huntington-Beach-event-768x513.jpg 768x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Huntington-Beach-event.jpg 959x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="B7BE5272-1369-48CD-839E-75814909EEA8" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:B6C17CF1-4C4C-4AFD-A9C4-7D401FA7A9ED@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Worshippers gathered recently on Huntington Beach. “THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!” Photo source: Sean Feucht’s Facebook page.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Feucht claimed in his Facebook post that he had permission from Redding leaders, including the mayor and the city council, not to mention the city’s “spiritual fathers” – to proceed with the outdoor worship service at the Sundial Bridge in Redding.</p><div id="attachment_120998" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120998" data-attachment-id="120998" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/bethel-beneath-the-bridge-thousands-flock-to-sundial-bridge-to-worship-during-pandemic/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-feucht/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht.jpg" data-orig-size="640,480" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 8 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1595446495&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;160&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="bethel believers with raised hands worship with Feucht" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-420x315.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-600x450.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-120998" alt="" width="420" height="315" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-420x315.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht-600x450.jpg 600x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bethel-believers-with-raised-hands-worship-with-Feucht.jpg 640x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="6398303F-11ED-4FA0-BB30-2FF5E01207E4" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:59A21C40-A39D-4805-AB1C-B4B73C0E7763@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Let Us Worship</em>&nbsp;participants crowd around Sean Feucht and musicians beneath the Sundial Bridge. Photo by Steve DuBois.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">This boggles the mind on so many levels. First, what power and influence does Sean Feucht have in Redding that he could have his reckless event approved?</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Second, what rational city leader would think it’s prudent to allow a Bethel Church-affiliated event during a pandemic, a time when the prevailing worldwide consensus is that large gatherings are known as places of possible virus transmission; to be avoided like the plague (or a deadly coronavirus)?</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">I’m not picking on Bethel Church. I’m pointing out the absurdity of allowing a potential virus-spewing COVID-carrying train wreck of a mass gathering to happen in the center of Redding when California counties are struggling to stay off the governor’s watch list for further restrictions and closures.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Bethel Church is a mega church with more than 10,000 members.&nbsp; This event has been widely publicized on social media. Of course it would be popular. Of course it would be a mob scene.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">I’m having deja vu all over again, because this&nbsp;<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Let Us Worship</em>&nbsp;event reminds me a lot of the Mother’s Day Cottonwood Rodeo, granted permission by our unbelievable Sheriff Eric Magrini. I was not the only one to wrongly predict that we’d see an immediate uptick in coronavirus cases after the event, a prediction that drew much ridicule and criticism by those who pointed out that we&nbsp;<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">didn’t</em>&nbsp;see a bunch of positive cases.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">At least not right away.</p><div id="attachment_119990" class="aligncenter wp-caption" style="margin: 0px auto 14px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); max-width: 100%; text-align: center; width: 430px;"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-119990" data-attachment-id="119990" data-permalink="https://anewscafe.com/2020/05/28/redding/two-weeks-after-mothers-day-no-known-covid-19-cases-conclusion/cottonwood-rodeo-survived-sign/" data-orig-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cottonwood-rodeo-survived-sign.jpg" data-orig-size="462,303" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1590622672&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="cottonwood rodeo survived sign" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cottonwood-rodeo-survived-sign-420x275.jpg" data-large-file="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cottonwood-rodeo-survived-sign.jpg" class="size-medium wp-image-119990" alt="" width="420" height="275" srcset="https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cottonwood-rodeo-survived-sign-420x275.jpg 420x, https://anewscafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cottonwood-rodeo-survived-sign.jpg 462x" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%;" apple-inline="yes" id="B66B494F-8EE5-4D00-A54F-EB9C46D68192" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:3613AEB4-A4C8-404B-BB1A-DEB07007EDB8@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Source Facebook.</div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Guess which area of Shasta County – statistically speaking – is currently one of the county’s biggest COVID-19 hot spots? Cottonwood and Anderson, according to a map released this week by Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency that shows a break down of regions with the highest number of cases per 100,000.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Guess which Shasta County Supervisor represents the greater Cottonwood/Anderson area? District 5’s Les Baugh, the same supervisor who’s also a pastor, who thumbed his nose at the COVID-prevention guidelines since Day 1, even pulling a haircut stunt with his militia-leading Cottonwood barber. Guess whose church had enough of a recent COVID-activity scare to put the brakes on in-person services? Baugh’s.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">You just can’t make this shit up.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Generally speaking, religion aside, some of the rodeo folks and Bethel believers have a few things in common: their disdain for the governor’s executive COVID restrictions, and their overall disbelief in the dangers of the coronavirus.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">As our president said, less COVID tests would result in less positive COVID cases. True enough.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">As Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency head Donnell Ewert so wisely observed shortly after the rodeo, we may never know the extenuating fallout and ripple effect from the Cottonwood rodeo, because there may have been either no people there with the virus, or it’s possible there were asymptomatic people there, and it might take a while for the virus to play itself out through multiple people over several weeks and even months.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">If there were asymptomatic people at the rodeo, they may have unwittingly shed the virus to others at the rodeo, perhaps people who were also asymptomatic, or had cases so mild they scarcely felt it. Maybe those people went about their merry way to their homes and to their jobs and to family gatherings and shopping trips. Those people may have passed the virus onto other people who passed it on and passed it on.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Over time, though, some of those potentially contagious rodeo folks could have eventually passed the virus on to people who&nbsp;<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">did</em>&nbsp;show symptoms, and were tested. Some may have ended up in the hospital. Perhaps some of the seven Shasta County people who’ve died from COVID-19 were from the Cottonwood/Anderson area. Because of HIPAA, only those people who knew the deceased will be privy to that information.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">At the time, public health officials implored the rodeo crowd to self-quarantine to avoid potenially spreading a virus they may not have known they carried. And public health recommended the rodeo people get tested, too. Come on! The tests are free. It’s easy!</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Nice try, but those requests most likely fell on deaf ears since many of the people who attended the rodeo were die-hard anti-maskers and COVID non-believers. Likewise, some are suspicious of the testing, and think it’s just a sneaky way for the government to collect our DNA and insert tracking devices in our bodies, for some nefarious reasons that I will never understand.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Many evangelical Christians share those beliefs, too.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Photographer Steve DuBois made it a point of counting how many people he saw wearing masks at the Bethel event. He counted six. One mask-wearer was a man from Sweden. Steve asked the man why he thought more people were not wearing masks.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Steve said that the man believed more of his fellow Christians weren’t wearing masks because the pandemic is “an evil”, and Jesus will kill the evil.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Steve said that the Swedish man added that if anyone from the worship event did contract the virus, he was confident there would be a “miracle healing through Jesus”.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">So, there you go.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Here’s how I see this going down. Like the COVID-19 rodeo aftermath, we may not necessarily see an uptick in positive virus cases in the next few weeks. Anti-maskers and COVID non-believers are not inclined to self-quarantine. Nor are they inclined to be tested, either, unless they’re sick, or unless they become so gravely ill they seek medical care, or are hospitalized. “Giving in” to either quarantine or testing would show a lack of faith. It would mean admitting they lacked the faith for God to protect them from this evil virus.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">As I reported about some fundamentalist churches during this pandemic, some Christians truly believe they’ll be protected from the virus by the blood of Jesus.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Or, perhaps there will be a dramatic rise in positive cases because of a few hours of a few thousand people converging upon the Sundial Bridge. Maybe a leap in positive COVID-19 cases will cause Shasta County to have even more restrictions, and cause even more businesses to go under, and yet more people to become sick and die.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Either way, time will tell.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">But in the meantime, I’m angry. I’m angry that once again, our North State leaders didn’t take the virus seriously enough to just say no.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">No, you may not hold a mass gathering with thousands of people crammed cheek to jowl. No!</em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">I’m angry that if it’s true, as KRCR anchor Mike Mangas reported, that worship-service organizers assured public health officials that they’d spread out, encourage masks, and that their event would be a gathering too small to warrant a permit –&nbsp; then somebody needs to pray for forgiveness. By some estimates about one tenth of Redding’s population is made up of Bethel Church members. The organizers had already held these massive church-outside revivals in other cities, with great success, and by success, I mean events with large turnouts. They knew that here in Redding, Bethel Church’s headquarters, any free event they’d hold outside would draw a multitude of believers, itching to get together after being apart for so long.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">It certainly appears that the organizers were untruthful about their Redding Sundial Bridge projections. It appears they didn’t care. From my seat, it looks as if they wanted what they wanted, without any consideration about the potential life-and-death consequences to the rest of us.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">I’m angry that once again, our community has been exposed to increased danger of infection because of thousands of potentially cluelessly contagious people who will now be walking, living and shopping among us, shedding their virus wherever they go.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">I’m angry to think about the innocent people who will suffer and may even die because of this one event. Was this&nbsp;<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Let Us Worship</em>&nbsp;really so important it had to happen, hell or high water, in the middle of a pandemic? Was this event really about about worshipping God? Did it have to include thousands of people? Couldn’t worship happen alone, or at home, or out in nature? Does God really care?</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Most of all, I’m angry that this mass gathering was done under the guise of “blessing” our city.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">If that’s their idea of a blessing, they can keep it.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">God help Shasta County. We’re going to need it.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">###</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><a href="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/large-gathering-violates-state-order-puts-community-at-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-timing-function: ease;" class="">UPDATE:</a></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Today – Thursday, July 23 – Sean Feucht posted the following message on his Facebook page regarding the Wednesday gathering he organized at the Sundial Bridge in Redding.</p><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 50px; border-width: 0px 1px 1px 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; quotes: none; position: relative; background-color: rgb(242, 242, 242);" class=""><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">By Sean Feucht:<br class="">“I want to thank every pastor who showed up to pray last night.<br class="">I want to thank our city leaders for honoring our rights to worship outdoors freely (according to state and CDC regulations).<br class="">I want to reiterate this was NOT IN ANY WAY put on or sponsored by Bethel Church. Many different church leaders from across the city were present and praying.<br class="">I want to reiterate we encouraged social distancing &amp; told people to wear masks (we even brought extras if people needed them). We cannot force this on people.<br class="">I want to clarify that I shared our plans with city council (something we have never done before). They asked me to reach out to the local health department. We did that and we never received a response. I assumed that was sufficient and that we had the green light.<br class="">We tried our best to honor the city and navigate the proper channels. We spent more time doing this in Redding than any other city thus far.<br class="">We love Redding and we love the church in our city deeply.<br class="">See you soon Pasadena, Fresno, Bakersfield &amp; San Diego.”</div></blockquote><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Some parts of this story has had some additional information and images included. Some portions have been edited for clarification.&nbsp;</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><a href="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/large-gathering-violates-state-order-puts-community-at-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-timing-function: ease;" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" class="">Click here</span>&nbsp;for the statement from Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency</a>&nbsp;about the Wednesday night Sundial Bridge event.&nbsp;</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);" class=""><a href="https://anewscafe.com/2020/07/23/redding/city-of-redding-addresses-faith-based-assembly-at-sundial-bridge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-timing-function: ease;" class=""><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" class="">Click here</span>&nbsp;for the statement from the City of Redding about the Wednesday night Sundial Bridge event.</a></span></span></p></div><div class="clear" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; overflow: hidden; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px;"></div><div class="author-biomug" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="author-mug" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Doni Chamberlain" class="wp-user-avatar- alignnone photo avatar- wp-user-avatar avatar" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; float: left;" apple-inline="yes" id="8C0392BC-7578-4AA4-BF45-67B0DE55547E" height="240" width="240" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:C30E046F-E934-47DB-8381-E6351CB81F6D@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></div><div class="author-description" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Independent online journalist Doni Chamberlain founded what’s now known as <a href="http://anewscafe.com" class="">anewscafe.com</a> in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke. Chamberlain is an award-winning newspaper opinion columnist, feature and food writer recognized by the Associated Press, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and E.W. Scripps. She lives in Redding, California.</div></div></div></div></body></html>