Happy New Year to each and everyone. The festive seasons are now at low key while people are focused on new strategies for this year. Back to work, writes Reverend Vakaroto Ngaro of the Takamoa Theological College.

According to our TIA (our scriptural readings), 2025 opened with the Book of Genesis as well as gearing everyone into this year’s Week of Prayer or Pure Epetoma in all CICC churches that was held from Sunday, January 5 to Sunday, January 12. This year’s theme is: “To Worship, Serve God and to Make Jesus Known to All People”.

The whole purpose of this Week of Prayer was to seek for God’s guidance and protection, mainly during this Cyclone Season and for rest of the year.

While some churches on Rarotonga hold their services early in the morning, most churches have their services in the evening. The outer islands mostly have their services in the morning while New Zealand and Australia decide on whatever time is convenient for them.

The topics for discussion were as follows: Sunday, January 5th, dawn service, the topic: Honouring God and Creation, the main service was, Calling Upon the Name of God and for the evening service, Hearing the Voice of God. Then on Monday, January 6, was Declaring God Promises, on Tuesday, January 7th, An Offering Pleasing to God, Wednesday, January 8th, Establishing God’s People, Thursday, January 9th, God’s First Generation of Patriarchs Before the Flood, Friday, January 10th, Preparing the Ark of God, and Sunday, January 12^th dawn service focused on Entering the Ark of Salvation, and for the main service, Honouring the Sovereignty of God and the last topic was, Praising God.

These topics were freely discussed and argued in the best way the church members think fitting to the theme of the week. However, at the end of the week, the people would have realised that they cannot come to a conclusive point to finalise what needs to be fulfilled and what’s not.

If one week isn’t enough, these topics can always be converted into workshops and seminars for each Ekalesia if they feel like discussing more on the given topics.

In today’s reading there is a shift from Genesis to the Gospel of Mark. It is introduced and dedicated to the unique character of the Gospel as well as setting the stage for the next few days.

The Gospel of Mark is symbolised by the ox, which speaks of servanthood or burden bearer. It also shows Jesus as the Servant and Workman of God. For this reason, the Gospel of Mark is a “busy” book with emphasis on the deeds of Jesus more than His own words. Mark, also known as John Mark, wrote this Gospel. Peter, one of the disciples, speaks very affectionately of Mark, referring to him as “Mark my son”.

Mark’s Gospel throbs with life and bristles with vivid details. We see with Peter’s eyes and catch almost the very look and gesture of Jesus as he moved among men in his work of healing and saving souls.

Many believe Mark to be the first of the four Gospels written, and that it was written in Rome and agreed upon by most scholars while some still believe that Matthew was perhaps first.

Mark also wrote his Gospel for the Roman mind and he used more Latin words than any of the other Gospels. At the beginning of his writing, Mark introduced John the Baptist who broke the silence of four hundred years to announce the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He acknowledged the very words of the Prophet Isaiah which says: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight” (Mark 1:2, 3).

Every great story has a beginning and Mark takes us to his beginning of the gospel. The first thing Mark says about the ministry of John the Baptist is that it was prophesied in the Old Testament (Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3). Those passages predicted this forerunner who would prepare the way of the Lord, this forerunner whom God would call My messenger. Mark continued in journey as a person with a passion for Christ and his ministry.