ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — An Albany congregation plans to welcome the New Year by hosting a Watch Night Service—and you’re invited to attend.

Mt. Zion Baptist Church’s Watch Night Service starts at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31. The church is located at 901 South Westover Boulevard in Albany.

Minister Angela Shumate of Mt. Zion Baptist said Watch Night Services are founded in Christian traditions.

“We gather on New Year’s Eve to pray, reflect and to give thanks as we transition into a new year,” said Shumate. “It is a night of worship, prayer and anticipation for all that God has in store for us.”

For Black Americans, Watch Night took on special significance on New Year’s Eve 1862. Enslaved people awaited the dawn of the new year, when the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863.

Over the years, people of diverse backgrounds and faiths have adopted the Watch Night Service tradition as a way to praise God while ringing in the new year.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2025 WALB. All rights reserved.