THE STORY BEHIND WATCH NIGHT EVE. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.

Watch night service is the gathering of the faithful in church on New Year’s Eve, but not many people know the history behind it.

The service usually begins anywhere from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and ends at midnight with the entrance of the New Year. Some folks come to church first, before going out to celebrate.

For others, church is the only New Year’s Eve event. Like many others, I always assumed that Watch Night was a fairly standard Christian religious service — made a bit more Afro centric because that’s what happens when elements of Christianity become linked with the Black Church.

Still, it seemed that predominately White Christian churches did not include Watch Night services on their calendars, but focused instead on Christmas Eve programs. In fact, there were instances where clergy in mainline denominations wondered aloud about the propriety of linking religious services with a secular holiday like New Year’s Eve. However, there is a reason for the importance of New Year’s Eve services in African American congregations.

The Watch Night Services in Black communities that we celebrate today can be traced back to gatherings on December 31, 1862, also known as “Freedom’s Eve.”

On that night, Blacks came together in churches and private homes all across the nation, anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation actually had become law. Then, at the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863, and all slaves in the Confederate States were declared legally free.

SOURCE: Little Known Black History Facts

Having known the history behind Watch Night Service, everyone will agree that this particular Watch Night of December 31st, 2020 has similar feeling with that of 1863 due to the global pandemic of COVID-19. With the uncertainty that came with this pandemic with lives lost globally, job loss and economy dwindling, one must agree that it is indeed a privilege to cross over to the new year.

So, i want to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of you for believing in, and sparing your time, effort and thoughts with me on this new journey. It has not been very easy to make many understand that what we do here is important, but you all have stayed through. I do not take this for granted.

Thank you so much and i wish you all a happy and fulfilling new year. May all your dreams come tp fruition. God bless you and your family.

I LOVE YOU ALL.....