LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Evangelical Christian Sean Feucht planned a New Year's Eve homeless outreach at Echo Park Lake Thursday morning and a concert in a church parking lot in Valencia Thursday evening, gatherings where attendees are not required to wear masks and critics claim could be a super-spreader events for coronavirus.

What You Need To Know

  • Evangelical Christian Sean Feucht planned a NYE homeless outreach in Echo Park Thursday morning and a concert in Valencia Thursday evening

  • Attendees at the events are not required to wear masks and critics say they could be potential super-spreader events

  • A day earlier, activists set up a blockade to prevent a similar event on Skid Row, that later took place

  • Santa Clarita Valley sheriffs said they were aware of the Valencia event and would be monitoring it

The happenings will take place a day after homeless activists set up a vehicle "blockade" along a stretch of road near the intersection of Fifth Street and Towne Avenue, where a concert sponsored by Feucht later took place.

A post on Feucht's Facebook page Wednesday night said "Hundreds of hot meals passed out and now WORSHIP ON SKID ROW."

Feucht's Facebook page, in a Tuesday post, stated: "Our epic 2020 journey with God across America culminates in Los Angeles in just two days. Join us in person and online ..." On Twitter Wednesday, he wrote, "THE GREATER THE RESISTANCE, THE GREATER THE BREAKTHROUGH!"

A Facebook event page for the New Year's Eve event, happening at 9 p.m. to midnight at 28776 The Old Road in Valencia, showed that 500 people had indicated they were "going" -- although it was unclear if they planned to physically be there or watch online and another 1200 interested in attending or watching the event.

In a post on social media, the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station stated it "has been notified of a religious event taking place (Thursday) with potential large crowds.

"We are aware & will be monitoring the event.

"We believe that our community members & businesses area practicing compliance in this pandemic to limit COVID-19."

In a YouTube video posted with the script "Claiming the coast of California for JESUS!!! #LetUsWorship," Feucht was with his family on the beach when he said, "We are launching into this epic two days together ... as we join with thousands from across America in person -- and online," leaving a deliberate pause between "in person" and "online."

Feucht said he's "excited to party in the New Year together" with surprises planned at midnight and celebrate the New Year "by seeing God break out in Los Angeles," noting that "God is not finished with California."

Feucht, a volunteer pastor and failed Republican congressional candidate from Redding, has a history of defying COVID-19 health mandates. He's been on tour hosting "Let Us Worship" open-air concerts nationwide to push back against government restrictions on religious gatherings.

"We're just coming and praising, we're not doing anything that's illegal, anything that's harming anyone," Hina Sheik, a "Let Us Worship" attendee told the station.

Some of the singer's events have featured hundreds of maskless worshipers tightly packed together as they sing and dance, which is something Skid Row activists said they fear could further spread the virus at a critical time when Los Angeles County is facing record case counts and a severe shortage of intensive care hospital beds.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom also extended the state's stay-at-home order banning public gatherings.

Charles Karuku, a Feucht associate who travels with the singer, told the Los Angeles Times that they tell followers to heed government health guidelines, "but we are not law enforcement. It's up to the people how they choose to come."

The California Poor People's Campaign wrote a letter calling for city and county officials to stop Feucht's events and enforce health orders against gatherings.

Feucht also has events scheduled in Orange County and San Diego, according to his website.