by Kandiss Edwards
December 29, 2025
The service continues a tradition that traces its roots to Dec. 31, 1862.
Morris Brown AME Church Freedom’s Eve Midday Watch Service on Dec. 31 in Charleston, South Carolina, continues a tradition that traces its roots to Dec. 31, 1862, when African Americans, specifically those held in enslavement in Confederate states, gathered in prayer and anticipation for the Emancipation Proclamation to take effect at midnight.
The midday event, held at Morris Brown AME Church, invites worshipers to gather from noon to 1:30 p.m. for reflection, praise, and a communal moment of spiritual preparation. Organizers are aiming for a communal gathering of positivity as the year ends and a new one begins.
Watch Night services are late-night vigils held on New Year’s Eve that combine worship, prayer, testimony, and fellowship. They are especially meaningful in African American churches as a time to remember the legacy of emancipation and to enter the new year with renewed faith and hope.
A few other Watch Night events include:
- Annual Watch Night Service, New Unity Baptist Church, Cincinnati, Ohio — Worship, testimony, prayer, and a sacred countdown into the new year beginning at 7 p.m. at 2908 Hamilton Ave.
- Watch Night Service, Westside Baptist Church — A community worship service beginning at 10 p.m., featuring preaching, praise, and fellowship as congregants celebrate the end of 2025 and look ahead to 2026.
- Watchnight Service, Shiloh Baptist Church of Baltimore County — A Dec. 31 event marking the year’s close with worship and spiritual reflection.
- Watchnight Service, MT Calvary Holy Church — Begins at 10 p.m. Dec. 31, inviting congregants to pray and celebrate as the new year arrives.
- Watch Night Service, Trinity Retreat Center, New York City — A late-night service from 11 p.m. to midnight for reflection and transition into the new year.
- Asbury United Methodist Church Watchnight Services, Washington, D.C. — Multiple gatherings, including evening watch time led by church leaders, reflecting the widespread tradition of watchnight vigils.
Across the United States, many Black churches and other congregations hold Watch Night services. The events often begin in the late evening and continue past midnight. Church’s combine prayer, song, and spiritual reflection as congregants celebrate a year’s accomplishments and seek guidance for the year ahead.
The Freedom’s Eve tradition remains central to these services, commemorating the moment when enslaved and free African Americans collectively awaited freedom and helping shape Watch Night into an enduring spiritual and cultural observance.
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