As part of an annual religious revival, every night last week people sang, shouted and played tambourines to praise God at an Evanston Baptist church.

More than 75 people gathered at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1113 Clark St., Thursday — day four of the congregation’s weeklong revival ceremonies.

Visiting Rev. Reginald Davis, regularly a pastor at First Baptist Church in North Chicago, led the worship.

During the serMonday, Davis engaged the congregation to cries of “Tell it!” and “All right, all right!”

“Sometimes our dreams turn into nightmares and our hope into despair,” Davis said. “But what I say you need to do is to keep on keeping on!”

Davis, who also serves as dean of students at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, told worshippers to interpret Jeremiah 18:1-6 to understand themselves as clay and God as the potter.

“The dark clouds will give way to the sunshine,” Davis said. “And just remember, God is in the recycling business. He can form us into something new.”

At the end of the celebration, Davis asked anyone who would like to be anointed to come to the front of the church. People crowded the aisle and held their hands up in praise as they were blessed.

Davis also encouraged those who had gone through the experience of being “shaped on the potter’s wheel” to give comfort to others by sharing their story.

NU alumnus Raleigh Floyd Sr. of North Chicago shared that as a freshman in 1955 it was a shock for him to not be the smartest in his class. It took Floyd until 1989 to graduate with a degree in mathematics. School was a struggle, but his faith in God compelled him to finish, he said.

Congregants could not decide what part of the service they appreciated most.

“I can’t choose my favorite part,” said Sophie Gary, 84, an Evanston resident who has attended Mt. Zion her entire life. “The services, during revival week especially, are all so wonderful.”

Evanston resident Frank Black, 36, also has attended Mt. Zion throughout his life. Black estimated that during the annual revival week, 70 percent of those in attendance are current church members.

He said he noticed a definite drop in the number of Northwestern students attending services.

“We used to pick up a van full of Northwestern students every Sunday, ” he said.

Although one of the purposes of revival week is to attract new members, it also serves as a celebration for current parishioners.

Brandy Mims, 20, of Evanston said the best part of the revival was the message.

“Being young, there are so many challenges and new things going on in your life that the message of persevering through hard times is something I can definitely relate to,” she said.