Service Guide

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Welcome & Call to Worship

Ps 36:7-9 (NIV)

Leader: Welcome to Evanston Bible Fellowship! If you’re new, we invite you to scan the QR code in front of you and fill out the connection card to let us know you’re here. Please stand for our call to worship from Psalm 36, reading the words in bold.

7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
All: 9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

Leader: Let’s lift up our hearts and voices in worship!

Marvelous Light

Chorus
Into marvelous light I'm running
Out of darkness out of shame
Through the cross You are the truth
You are the life You are the way

Verse 1
I once was fatherless
A stranger with no hope
Your kindness wakened me
Wakened me from my sleep now
Your love it beckons deeply
A call to come and die
By grace now I will come
And take this life take Your life

Pre-Chorus
Sin has lost its power
Death has lost its sting
From the grave You've risen
Victoriously

Verse 2
My dead heart now is beating
My deepest stains now clean
Your breath fills up my lungs
Now I'm free now I'm free
My dead heart now is beating
My deepest stains now clean
Your breath fills up my lungs
Now I'm free now I'm free

Spoken Words
There's no more shame
No more shame
And now we show the world
Christ in you

Bridge
Lift my hands and spin around
See the light that I have found
Oh the marvelous light marvelous light
(It's Christ in you)

Charlie Hall
CCLI Song #4491002
© 2005 sixsteps Music; worshiptogether.com songs
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574

Glorious Day

Verse 1
I was buried beneath my shame
Who could carry that kind of weight
It was my tomb 'til I met You

Verse 2
I was breathing but not alive
All my failures I tried to hide
It was my tomb 'til I met You

Chorus
('Cause when) You called my name (and)
I ran out of that grave
Out of the darkness into Your glorious day
You called my name (and) I ran out of that grave
Out of the darkness into Your glorious day

Verse 3
Now Your mercy has saved my soul
Now Your freedom is all that I know
The old made new Jesus when I met You

Bridge
I needed rescue my sin was heavy
But chains break at the weight of Your glory
I needed shelter I was an orphan
Now You call me a citizen of Heaven
When I was broken You were my healing
Now Your love is the air that I'm breathing
I have a future my eyes are open

Jason Ingram, Jonathan Smith, Kristian Stanfill, Sean Curran
CCLI Song #7081388
© 2017 KPS 1.0; sixsteps Music; sixsteps Songs; Sounds Of Jericho; Worship Together Music; worshiptogether.com songs; Fellow Ships Music; Hickory Bill Doc; So Essential Tunes
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574

Our Great God

Verse 1
Eternal God unchanging mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love
Unfailing grace and mercy shown
Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight
Around Your glorious throne
They raise their voices day and night
In praise to You alone

Chorus
Hallelujah glory be to our great God
Hallelujah glory be to our great God

Verse 2
Lord we are weak and frail
Helpless in the storm
Surround us with Your angels
Hold us in Your arms
Our cold and ruthless enemy
His pleasure is our harm
Rise up O Lord and he will flee
Before our sov'reign God

Verse 3
Let ev'ry creature in the sea
And ev'ry flying bird
Let ev'ry mountain
Ev'ry field and valley of the earth
Let all the moons and all the stars
In all the universe
Sing praises to the living God
Who rules them by His Word

Fernando Ortega, Mac Powell
CCLI Song #3493094
© 2002 New Spring; Dejamesolo Music; Curb Word Music
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574

1 John 1:5-2:2 (NIV)

Leader: Please return and remain standing (as you are able) for today’s Scripture reading from 1 John 1:5-2:2. After the reading, the response will be, “Thanks be to God.”

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Leader: The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!

Leader: You may be seated.

Message: Pastor Tim Allen

"God Is Light"

Ethos Questions:

Read the text. Then read it again in another version. Then summarize the text as best you can.
What stands out to you from the text? What questions does it raise?
What does this text reveal to us about God?
What does this text reveal to us about ourselves and how we should respond to God?
How does this text in particular drive these truths home?
If this text did not exist, what would we be missing?
What problem or question is the text solving or answering? What issue is it addressing?
What solution or answer does the text offer to the primary issue it is addressing?
How does the text connect with the gospel?
How will you commit to obey the text this week?
With whom can you share what you have learned from the text?

He Will Be

Verse 1
God is faithful to His word
Even when there seems no way
Though time may pass
His memory will not fade
His promises will never fail

Chorus 1
Faithful He has been faithful He will be
Time and time again His Word returns complete
To His truth I cling when the night is deep
Faithful He has been faithful He will be

Verse 2
God is gracious when I doubt
He draws near though I retreat
Though I may wander
Through the wilderness
He goes with me and gives me peace

Chorus 2
Gracious He has been gracious He will be
What I don’t deserve the Father gives to me
Where He leads my feet I shall not want or need
Gracious He has been, gracious He will be

Verse 3
God is worthy of my song
Countless are His awesome deeds
His mighty hand has parted raging seas
For those He loves He has redeemed

Chorus 3
Worthy He has been worthy He will be
Crowned in endless praise all earth and heaven sing
Holy is the Lord who reigns in majesty
Worthy He has been worthy He will be

Bridge
He is my provider covenant protector
All my hope is in the Lord my God
He is my sustainer merciful redeemer
All my hope is in the Lord my God

Tag
Worthy He has been worthy He will be
Worthy He has been worthy He will be

Communion & Prayers of the People

Holy Holy Holy (Nicaea)

Verse 1
Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity

Verse 2
Holy holy holy
All the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns
Around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim
Falling down before Thee
Which wert and art
And evermore shalt be

Verse 3
Holy holy holy
Though the darkness hide Thee
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power
In love and purity

Verse 4
Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth and sky and sea
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity