This week’s documentation (bulletin, prayer list, hymns, etc )

Mark 1

John the Baptist Begins His Ministry

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 2Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way,

3the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight his paths!’ ”

4John was there baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And all the Judean region and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6And John was dressed in camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And he was preaching, saying, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”