Bishop Keith W. Reed, Sr., Senior Pastor & Teacher
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Watch Night
The following information was actually written as an essay by Charyn D. Sutton, The Onyx Group, in December 2000 and revised in August 2004. The essay appears here in its entirety...
If you grew up in a black community in the United States, you have probably heard of "Watch Night" Services, the gathering of the faithful in church on New Year's Eve. The service usually begins anywhere from 7:00pm-10:00pm and ends at 12:00 midnight with the entrance of the New Year. Some folks come to church first, before going out to celebrate. For others, church is the only New Year's Eve destination.
Like many others, I always assumed that Watch Night was a fairly standard Christian religious service, made a bit more Afrocentric because that's what happens when elements of Christianity become linked with the black church. And yes, there is a history of Watch Night Services in the Methodist tradition.
Still, it seemed that most white Christians did not include Watch Night Services on their calendars, but focused instead on Christmas Eve programs. In fact, there were instances where clergy in mainline denominations wondered aloud about the propriety of linking religious services with a secular holiday like New Year's Eve.
However, in doing some research, I discovered there are two essential reasons for the importance of New Year's Eve services in African American congregations. Many of the Watch Night Services in black communities that we celebrate today can be traced back to gatherings held on December 31, 1862, also known as "Freedom's Eve."
On that night, Americans of African descent came together in churches, gathering places, and private homes throughout the nation, anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had become law. Then, at the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863 and according to President Abraham Lincoln's promise, all slaves in the Confederate States were legally free. People remained in churches and other gathering places, eagerly awaiting word that Emancipation had been declared. When the actual news of freedom was received later that day, there were prayers, shouts of joy, and songs of praise as people fell to their knees and thanked God.
But even before 1862 and the possibility of a Presidential Emancipation, African people had gathered on New Year's Eve on plantations across the South. That is because many owners of enslaved Africans tallied up their business accounts on the first day of each new year. Human property was sold along with land, furnishings, and livestock to satisfy debts. Families and friends were separated. Often they never saw each other again in this earthly world. Thus, coming together on December 31 might be the last time for enslaved and free Africans to be together with loved ones.
Black folks in North America have gathered annually on New Year's Eve since the earliest days, praising God for bringing us safely through another year and praying for the future. Certainly, those traditional gatherings were made even more poignant by the events of 1863 which brought freedom to the slaves and the Year of Jubilee.
Many generations have passed since that time and most of us were never taught the significance of gathering on New Year's Eve. Yet, our traditions and faith still bring us together at the end of every year to celebrate once again, "how we got over."
Please pass this information on to your family and friends so that they will know the true history behind the tradition we call "Watch Night".
💗 Mother-Daughter Time
Getting our yearly mammograms.
If you are of age, be sure to schedule yours too!
If you are of age, be sure to schedule yours too!
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Monday, December 29, 2025
Sunday, December 28, 2025
Saturday, December 27, 2025
Mavis Staples: Sad & Beautiful World
This longtime civil rights activist and soul belter still has something to say, and sing, at 86. On her 14th solo album, Mavis Staples covers tunes spanning seven decades, almost as long as her career, with all the energy, compassion and authority you would expect from the last surviving member of the legendary Staple Singers.
Producer Brad Cook summons such impressive guests as Buddy Guy, 89, and Bonnie Raitt, 76, but the focus never shifts from Staples, who carries on the fight for equality and justice in a rootsy and robust blend of soul, gospel, rock and blues. Among the highlights are Curtis Mayfield’s "We Got to Have Peace," Kevin Morby’s "Beautiful Strangers" and the devastating "Human Mind," written specifically for Staples by Hozier and Allison Russell with lyrics that refer to her faith and her legendary late father, "Pops"... "I deal in loss, Daddy / I am the last, Daddy, last of us."
Excerpt from "Listen Up: These Are AARP's Favorite Albums for 2025." Click on image to see the full article and listing of favorite albums."
Friday, December 26, 2025
Thursday, December 25, 2025
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
🔔 Philly Christmas Traditions
Because this year was the last chance to see The Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village for a few years, we went downtown to catch them this afternoon. Over the 60+ years me and the hubby have gone to the light show, this is the first time we saw it sitting down in a chair and not on the marble floor, which was great. It was the first time the grands got to see it sitting in a chair too. My Christmas wish is that the new owners of the Wanamaker Building will find a way to keep them going after the renovations...
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
⭐️ SBC Presented "Wise Men Follow Christ"
Sunday, December 21st, 4:00-6:00pm at
3955 Conshohocken Avenue, Phila, PA 19131
3955 Conshohocken Avenue, Phila, PA 19131
Monday, December 22, 2025
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Saturday, December 20, 2025
✝️ Street Renaming For Bishop Reed (Photos)
SHARON BAPTIST CHURCH
3955 Conshohocken Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131
3955 Conshohocken Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131
Friday, December 19, 2025
Thursday, December 18, 2025
🇺🇸 Black History Is American History
This memorable photograph of civil rights activist Amelia Boynton Robinson (August 18, 1905 – August 26, 2015), who was beaten unconscious on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the day known as "Bloody Sunday," March 7, 1965, shocked the world and changed history.
Fifty years later on March 7, 2015, President Barack Obama walked across that same bridge to commemorate the history and progress made over those five decades. Amelia, who was still alive but in a wheelchair, proudly crossed that bridge hand-in-hand with the First Black President of the United States.
Sadly, Amelia passed away five months later, but GOD blessed her to live long enough to go to the mountaintop and see some of the benefits that came out of her personal sacrifice, and many others, all those years ago. Whether or not you want to hear it, know it, read it, or see it... Black History is not going anywhere.
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
⭐️ Winter Concert Performance at School
My oldest granddaughter on clarinet for the concert this eveing.
