Ok, so it may not be the first thing you think of doing!
But the West Indians have a superstition: how you ring in the New Year portends how you will pass the year. If you bring in the New Year drunk, you’ve sentenced yourself to a year of dissipation. But if you bring it in church, you will spend the year close to God.
Ok, the West Indian custom is 11 o’clock Watch Night Services that end as soon after midnight as possible so that the partying can begin!
Our tradition is a bit more relaxed: with “Watch Night” at 7 p.m., a service of prayers of thanksgiving for the year past and of prayers of hope for the year coming. We will be done by a little after 8, when we will lift a sparkling cider toast to the New Year.
It works if you are going out: come to church first!
It works if you don’t have anything special planned for New Year’s — now you do!
Spend some holy time with us as part of your making for a happy and healthy New Year. As Dag Hammarskjold said, “To all that has been, thanks. For all that is to come, yes.”
