What is the name of the New Year's Eve church service held in many African American congregations?

The New Year's Eve church service held in many African American congregations is called a Watch Night service.

Watch Night services are prayerful gatherings held on December 31 and extending toward midnight. Congregations may include worship, music, testimony, Bible readings, and a countdown or prayer at the moment the new year begins. The format varies among churches and denominations.

In African American history, the service also carries a major historical association with Emancipation Day. On December 31, 1862, enslaved people and abolitionists gathered to await the Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863. The night became known as Freedom's Eve, and Watch Night observances in Black churches continue to connect New Year worship with freedom and remembrance.

The term is broader than a party countdown and can describe Christian vigils at other times of year. Its New Year's Eve meaning is especially important in African American religious communities.