Watchnight service
A watchnight service (also called Watchnight Mass) is a late-night
Watchnight services can take the form of Watchnight Covenant Renewal Services, Watchnight Vespers services, Watchnight Vigil services, or Watchnight Masses.[7] As Watchnight services bring in the New Year by glorifying God, they are seen by many Christians as being preferable to "drunken revelry" in popular cultural celebrations that are commonplace in some localities.[6]
In addition to Christian denominational traditions, the ethnic traditions of Koreans and African Americans have a strong tradition of New Year's Eve watchnight services.[7][8]
History
The
In Christianity, since the time of the
Throughout history, Christian denominations including the
The
After attending a Moravian watchnight service on New Year's Eve in 1738, John Wesley, the father of the Methodist Churches, recorded that "as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground."[15] The Methodist Churches, strongly influenced by the Moravian Church and Radical Pietism in general, herald the practice of the Watchnight Service, with John Wesley having emphasized that it was "customary with the ancient Christians to spend whole nights in prayer".[16][13]
The practice of holding watchnight services on New Year's Eve became common throughout Christendom, with many Christian denominations now offering them.[17]
By Christian denomination
Moravianism
In the
Methodism
Following the lead of the Moravian Brethren who began having "watch" services in 1733, the founder of the
Lutheranism
In the Lutheran Churches, Watchnight Masses are celebrated with the purpose of "welcoming the new year with praises to Almighty God."[3]
Catholic Church
In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Mass can be held on New Year's Eve into New Year's Day around midnight; these are sometimes called the "Watch Night Mass" or "Watchnight Mass".[21] The Archdiocese of Nassau has watchnight services at parishes throughout the ecclesiastical territory.[4]
Anglicanism
Many Anglican parishes hold watchnight services, including several cathedrals, among them being Ripon Cathedral, St Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore and Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos.[22][23]
The
Presbyterianism
In the
Congregationalism
In many
Continental Reformed
The
Baptists
Watchnight services are held on New Year's Eve in many
Adventism
In
Pentecostalism
Many
Ethnic traditions
African Americans
African-American Methodists long celebrated watchnight services as Methodist parishes in the United States, such as St. George's United Methodist Church and Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, held them on New Year's Eve in accordance with Methodist customs.[31] Watchnight services gained additional significance and history in the Black churches in the United States, since many African Americans were said to have gathered in churches on New Year's Eve in 1862, on what was called Freedom's Eve,[32] to await the hour when President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was to take effect on January 1, 1863.[8] As such, watchnight services in the Black Church are widely attended.[33]
Korean community
Korean Christians have a strong tradition of watchnight services on New Year's Eve.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Watchnight Service". Ephraim Moravian Church. 16 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ a b c "Watch Night of Freedom". Discipleship Ministries. 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
The Watch Night service is today most often held on New Year's Eve, sometimes concluding at midnight, or on New Year's Day.
- ^ a b "Watchnight Service". Bangsar Lutheran Church. 30 December 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Christmas & New Year's Mass Schedules". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nassau. 20 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019.
- ^ Tinsley Brothers. p. 223. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
At A Watch-Night Service: Methodism has one special institution. Its lovefeasts are old-old as Apostolic times. Its class meetings are the confessional in its simplest and most unobjectionable type, but in the institution of the watch-night it boldly struck out a new path for itself. In publicly setting apart the last fleeting moments of the old year and the first of the new to penitence, and special prayer, and stirring appeal, and fresh resolve, it has set an example which other sects are preparing to follow.
- ^ ISBN 978-0812204179. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
In 1740, Wesley started watch-night services for the coal miners of the Kingswood area, offering this nocturnal worship as a godly alternative to spending their evenings in ale-houses. The watch-night services consisted of singing, praying, exhorting, and preaching for a number of hours. Wesley meant to establish it as a monthly practice, always at full moon to keep the meeting well lit. In America, this service often supplanted times of traditional drunken revelry, like New Year's Eve and Christmas Eve.
- ^ a b c "Watch Night/New Year's Eve Resources". Discipleship Ministries. 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
Watch Night took on even more significance during the Civil War. When President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, it was to take effect Jan. 1, 1863. Free and enslaved people gathered the night before, waiting for their freedom to arrive at midnight.
- ^ Winfield, Jerry (1 January 2014). "Ideas for a Great New Year's Eve Church Service". LifeWay Christian Resources. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-687-05500-5.
Early in church history, Christians held vigils during the evenings before church festivals. These vigils, or watch night services, seem to have been inspired by Jesus's example of praying all night before important decisions.
- ^ Kurtz, Johann Heinrich; Macpherson, John (1891). Church History. Hodder and Stoughton. p. 357.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8192-1554-3.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lawbaugh, William (30 December 2016). "Bring Back Watchnight". The Living Church. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ Transactions of the Moravian Historical Society. Moravian Historical Society. 1902. p. 70.
- ISBN 978-1-62911-161-2.
- ^ Vogel, Dwight; Drury, John; Dalles, John; Brumm, James Hart; Switzler, Nancy; LaJoye, Jenny (2019). Sacramental Life Volume 31.3: (Ordinary Time 2019). OSL Publications. p. 17.
- ^ a b Magoffin, E.V.D. (10 January 1917). Herald and Presbyter. Monfort & Company. p. 9.
- ^ "2018 New Year's Eve Watchnight Lovefeast". Moravian Church Southern Province. 14 December 2018.
- The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
Methodism founder John Wesley originated Watch Night services in the mid-18th century, sometimes calling them Covenant Renewal services. The original services were spontaneous prayer services designed to deepen the spiritual life of Methodists.
- The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
The service is loosely constructed with singing, spontaneous prayers and testimonials, and readings, including the Covenant Renewal service from The United Methodist Book of Worship (pp. 288-294).
- ^ "New Year's Eve Watch Night Mass". Our Lady of Lourdes Atlanta. 2015.
- ^ "WatchNight Service". Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos. 31 December 2015.
- ^ Priestley, Joe (27 November 2018). "The Season of Advent". Ripon Cathedral.
On New Year's Eve our atmospheric Watchnight Service takes place at 11.15pm. The short carol service is followed by a candlelit procession to the Market Square where Bishop Helen-Ann will give a blessing just before midnight and the New Year is brought in with fireworks.
- ^ Clark, D. Marion (27 December 2013). "Christmas Highlight: New Year's Eve Watch Night Service". Tenth Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ "Christmas Eve Christmas Day and Boxing Day Services". The Times. London. 17 December 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ^ Hill, J. Lee (2020). "Watchnight Service—December 31, 2020 - Year B". United Church of Christ. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ Bali, Jacob. "Crossway URC Church". Crossway United Reformed Church. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
New Years' Eve (Watchnight): live Service at 11.30pm on Zoom
- Baptist Missionary Society. 1898. p. 276.
- ^ Cross, Jason (30 November 2020). "COVID curfew can't cramp watchnight for Adventists". The Gleaner. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
- ^ Hinton, John (30 December 2020). "Many churches in Winston-Salem will hold virtual Watch Night services on New Year's Eve". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
- ^ Chism, Jonathan Langston (31 December 2010). "The African American Lectionary". The African American Lectionary. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
The first Methodist Watch night service in the United States probably took place in 1770 at Old St. George's Church in Philadelphia, a church of which Richard Allen, the founder of the African American Episcopal church, was a member. African American Methodists celebrated Watch Night prior to Freedom's Eve because Allen and other African Americans celebrated Watch Night Meeting services at St. George's Church and also at Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.
- ^ Charles, Safiya (20 July 2022). "The Meaning of Watch Night". Southern Living. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
External links
- Liturgy for Watchnight Service
- Covenant Renewal Service for Watchnight on New Year's Eve
- Video: Watchnight Service at Fairview Moravian Church
- Video: Watchnight Covenant Renewal Service at Trinity Methodist Church
- Video: Watchnight Service at St. Agnes Anglican Church
- Video: Watchnight Service at Trinity Mar Thoma Church
- Video: Watchnight Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church
- Video: Watchnight Service at Maze Presbyterian Church