Watchnight service

A watchnight service (also called Watchnight Mass) is a late-night Christian church service. In many different Christian traditions, such as those of Moravians, Baptists, Methodists, Anglicans and Pentecostals, watchnight services are held late on New Year's Eve. This provides the opportunity for Christians to review the year that has passed and make confession, and then prepare for the year ahead by praying and resolving. The services often include singing, praying, exhorting, and preaching.

Watchnight service has added significance and history in the African-American community in the United States, since many slaves were said to have gathered in churches on New Year's Eve, in 1862, to await news and confirmation of the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, on January 1, 1863. In modern southern churches, the Watchnight tradition often includes dimmed lights and a haunting call and response countdown to midnight enacted by designated parishioners singing the part of watch men.

Moravianism
In the Moravian Church, many congregations observe a watchnight service, which often includes a celebration of the lovefeast.

Methodism

Following the lead of the Moravian Brethren who began having "watch" services in 1733, the founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley, originated watch night services in 1740, sometimes calling them Covenant Renewal Services. The services provided Methodist Christians with a godly alternative to times of drunken revelry, such as Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Today, a Methodist watchnight service includes singing, spontaneous prayers and testimonials, as well as scripture readings; the liturgy for this service is found in The United Methodist Book of Worship.

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.

The Penrith Observer reported that a watchnight service was held at St Andrew's Parish Church on 31st December 1884.

In 1935, the Hull Daily Mail noted that St. Oswald's Parish Church (Filey) had observed its 53rd annual watchnight service.

Presbyterianism
In the Church of Scotland, the Watchnight service is a popular ceremony marking the beginning of Christmas Day.  This is known as Midnight Mass elsewhere.

Some churches, however, hold a Watchnight service late on Hogmanay. One such example is St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh.

Roman Catholicism
In  Roman Catholic churches, this ceremony is often replicated in the form of a Midnight Mass held on New Year's Eve/New Year's Day; these are often called the "Watch Night Mass". The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nassau has watchnight services at parishes throughout the ecclesiastical territory.

References

External links

Liturgy for Watchnight Service
Covenant Renewal Service

Category:Christian worship and liturgy
Category:New Year celebrations