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Churches move traditional New Year’s Eve Watch Night service online
FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson has the story.
PHILADELPHIA - Churches are moving the traditional New Year's Eve Watch Night service online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch Night service. It’s held every New Year's Eve at Black churches everywhere and goes until the clock turns over to a new year. Cynthia Robinson and Janet Brown-Edmunds say it’s emotional and uplifting.
"I was going just to renew my life with God and getting closer to God every year," said Robinson. Brown-Edmunds also attend.
"It's family and friends. More than usual too and then people who are recovering from rehab that just want to start new and they do a big long prayer and the countdown starts. It's really great," she said.
But this year, Watch Night service like most Sunday services is going virtual due to COVID.
"The plans have shifted tremendously," said Reverend Dr. Darron McKinney, Sr. He’s the pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church in North Philly.
"We're not going to be able to touch or have in-person worship as we traditionally have done," he said. He’s decided that tomorrow night's service will move to all social platforms for his congregation and the community but says expect the same experience.
"We know that God is omnipresent. He's everywhere at the same time," said Rev. McKinney who also says there was never a thought of canceling watch night.
"This has been a staple in the Black church and though it's going to look different we believe the same power is going to be in that place and is going to meet them at the point of their needs."
He also says there's the historical significance of Watch Night also known as Freedom's Eve.
"It was on December 31st 1862 that slaves and free slaves, free Blacks, came together in churches and homes across the nation waiting in bated breath on the Emancipation Proclamation that it would become law," he said.
And even the online Watch Night service in 2020 still represents hope.
"We're going to come hopeful that there's going to be a turnaround in 2021," said Reverend McKinney. Service for Bright Hope Baptist Church will begin online at 11 p.m. New Year’s Eve night.
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