What words do we share at a Nine Night service?
Who writes them?
Who says them?
Who hears them?
Nine Night, evolving from a Caribbean wake tradition, is a celebration held before the funeral.
In my experience as a minister in southeast London, Nine Night festivities usually include an open house with a party-celebration atmosphere, at which food and drink are plentiful. Whenever possible it is held on the evening of the ninth day after a person has passed. While the event is often held at the home of the deceased, it is common practice to hire a hall for the occasion. If the deceased, or the family, has been connected to a worshipping community, the minister or another church representative will usually be invited to lead a time of worship and praise.
Resources for Nine Night services: