Seeing the New Year In

No one had ever told me of the connection between Watch Night Services and President Lincoln’s Proclamation of Emancipation. Another Internet discovery, as I prepared for our New Year’s Eve service. Check out this link ( http://christtemple.tripod.com/watchpeom.html ) to a great poem which I read as part of that service. I suppose there were services on the evening of December 31 long before 1862. Were they called Watch Night Services. Anyone know? Anyone but me care?

Our service was over by 8:30pm and then I left home to go to a relatively quiet part of town for the night ( http://www.coralhouseinn.com/frameabout.htm ) and was asleep long before midnight. It cost a bit but was worth it to wake up refreshed and relaxed and not have to make the bed!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!