Old Year’s Night and New Year’s Day church services are a tradition in the U.S. Virgin Islands. At their services different denominations through out the territory gave thanks and praise for the past year and offered prayers for a good new year.

The Rev. Gladstone Hazel, at Christian Fellowship Ministry Center in Smith Bay, St. Thomas, says New Year’s services are a tradition his parishioners’ parents had.

The Smith Bay community has a lot of Haitian residents, he adds, so the church offers services in Creole and English, along with evening mass in French and New Year’s Day service in English.

“We give thanks and praise for the past year. We ask for direction in the new year,” Hazel says. The services offer a place of solace on New Year’s Eve, where people can talk to God in peace. “We ask for help to change habits and for strength to achieve more and do better. I look forward to a good year. I’m an optimist, I believe there’s hope. Life would be better if people would put the guns down and come to church,” Hazel says.

Jacinth Roberts, a member of Christian Fellowship Ministry Center, says the last day of the year is a time to celebrate and thank God for bringing her through the year.

“I’m blessed to have lived through another year,” Roberts says. “It’s a time of rejoicing because I will see another year.”

She says the congregation worships and gives praise for miracles in their lives, and prays for guidance in the new year. They share testimonies, sing, and watch dance performances.

The Rev. Carlyle Sampson, at the Nazareth Evangelic Church on St. John, says there were Old Year’s Night services way before he became pastor 25 years ago. Services are every Old Year’s Night beginning with folks singing Christmas Carols at 10:30 p.m. Then they sing hymns and have a worship service.

“We thank God for the past year and express our trust in him in the present,” Sampson says. Sampson adds many local people feel they should usher in the New Year in church.

The Rev. Anthony Abraham, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church on St. John, says some residents cling to the idea that, if they go to church on Old Year’s Night they will be covered for going to church the rest of the year.

“We need to make God part of our daily lives,” Abraham says. “In 2013 our faith in God will bring us through. The pope has declared this as a year of renewing faith in God.”

There was singing, a sermon and communion on New Years eve followed by a reception with food and fellowship.

At Global Life Church on St. Thomas, the Rev. Oral Hazell says Old Year’s Night is a time of giving thanks for health, success and protection. It also is a crossing over from the old year to the new.

“I encourage people to get up and get over failure,” Hazell says. “And to move forward in the new year to begin a new life, get rid of the past and get beyond problems and pain.”

After services, he said the church has a party, with refreshments and a gift exchange.

There was a service and reception New Year’s Eve at Calvary Baptist Church on St. Croix. The Rev. Anthony Benjamin spoke about trusting God to take care of and bless people in uncertain times.

“It was bad news when Hovensa closed,” Benjamin says. “People worried when the economy took a nose dive. But we made it through 2012. In the face of uncertainties we trust God will take care of us. There is nothing outside of the control of God.”

On New Year’s Eve on St. Croix, folks from Speak the Word Ministries, Victorious Believers, Casa Profetica De Adoracion, Holy Ghost Deliverance, and Maranatha Ministries enjoyed a New Year’s Eve celebration filled with praise, worship, music and dance.

Gloria Small, a minister at Speak the Word, says they had the auditorium at St. Croix Educational Complex filled to capacity, with standing room only. In November, the Rev. Dexter Skepple decided there should be a celebration where one body of believers come together and do away with division. Senior pastors gave words of encouragement, praise and thanks.

“It was a great event,” Small says. “It was really beautiful. At the service we thanked God that we made it through the year. We should have as our New Years’ resolution to make God a priority. We should do acts of charity and love our neighbors. It begins at home with our own family.”

People should just trust the Lord, said Smalls, who adds the ministers would like to make the celebration an annual tradition.

“It’s an added bonus to be in church on New Year’s Eve,” Ariel Foy, secretary at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas says. “It’s like a special blessing for the new year.”