The transition from one year to the next always fills me with a bit of sadness. Not because a year is leaving but because it seems everyone gets so hyped about the celebrations and I never have plans to celebrate.
For awhile at church we did a Watch Night service at 11pm. It was great because I got to not only celebrate the outgoing year and the incoming year with church family but we also hung out after the new year to have Communion and even better, BREAKFAST! The first meals with church family! And I learned the importance of being in prayer as we went from one year into the next.
But then the pastor who brought back Watch Night to our church was appointed somewhere else. And I was left to "celebrate" the new year alone again. I continued to pray myself into the new year, but instead of with others I did it alone. I couldn't even seem to find Watch Night services locally (in 2019/2020) or online (2020/2021).
Until this year...when Watch Night was brought to PUMC. Or brought back. Something like that.
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| One of my Watch Night 2021 images |
Anyway, though it was early in the evening instead of late at night, it was a very similar service to the one I was used to. It was great being able to take some time to reflect on the outgoing year while at church. And then, at home, though still alone, I prayed my way into 2022.
The Watch Night service really gave me pause to think about how far I had come in 2021. Maybe not in all the ways I wanted to or expected to. But definitely within church I have come far and I expect to go further in 2022. Or at least I hope to.
It was a different Watch Night but it was one that I truly needed. I am so glad I went! And that I shared during the service. And that I got to experience the service as someone just being there. It was such a blessing.
Happy 2022!
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