WATCH NIGHT SERVICES:

Many of you who live or grew up in Black communities in the United States have probably heard of

"Watch Night Services," the gathering of the faithful in church on New Year's Eve.

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 .When  the news was received, there were prayers, shouts and songs of joy as people

 fell to their knees and thanked God. Black folks have gathered in churches annually on New Year's Eve

ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through another year.

It's been 145 years since that first Freedom's Eve and many of us were never taught the African American

history of Watch Night, but tradition still brings us together at this time every year to celebrate "how we got over."

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