Next Step #51 – May 27, 2009
Caught between the 40th and 50th days after Easter, a look at dreams turning into life. What is life without dreams? When hope is gone, can there even be a glimmer of life? This next step examines the tragedy of children being tried as adults. Community, or CHURCH, becomes a means to maximizing our potention to love.
Poet William Archila reads from the “Art of Exile”
Song: “Vijag” by Zulal
updated 032321 mm
Well I couldn’t get anyone to part with their frequent flyer tickets, so I’ll have to wait for the next time. Its only took Jethro Tull 40 years to make it to the land of Ararat, let’s hope for a quicker turn around on the next performance.
Since my first Next Step podcast regarding circular breathing, I’ve been pushing the metaphor in my head and in my teachings. Ian Anderson shared some thoughts in a song called “Circular Breathing” a few years back which sparked my ow
n interest regarding my taste of music. There is a point at which songs from the woods of Armenia and Scotland meet. I’ve been at that intersection since 1969 when I first heard Jethro Tull’s “Stand Up” album and made some conscious connections with the riffs my dad was playing on the oud or the duduk. (Not to mention the connection with some of the more nasal-congestion-chanting done by the deacons I grew up with from the villages.)
Jethro Tull was in Armenia last night and for me, at the virtual concert I attended, Armenia was in Jethro Tull.
Circular breathing is the art of taking in air while exhaling. Duduk players use it to hold the dahm, or the drone – the monotonous tone that keeps the rest of the musicians in tune. In Armenian Orthodox chant a drone is held by some of the monks as the melody lines are chanted by others. In Buddhism, the constant “sound of the universe” is the drone that underlies the concert of life. It’s all connected. Its the underlying strength in this new movement we’ve been branding as Armodoxy.
Bringing Tull to Armenia and having Armenia touch Tull was something I had waited for. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend (and even more after watching the video at the Caucasian Knot). I had a chance to meet Ian back in 1994 and it has kept me going. The flow of ideas, music, work, events, thoughts, poems during the last several years has been too strong and I’m excited about the journey.
Check out a cool interview with Ian in Armenia (he liked the cleanliness!) at Oneworld: http://blog.oneworld.am/2009/05/22/jethro-tull-in-yerevan-armenia/
And some other stuff: http://www.aysor.am/en/news/2009/05/23/jethrovarch/?sw
Regarding perfection – nothing new but worth reading the excitement: http://www.panorama.am/en/culture/2009/05/23/liveconcert/
Coming on the MyChurch space, the welcome page features a Bible quote of the day. It’s meant to be inspiration, but in honesty, there are many times that I come on-line for a particular reason and just brush over the quote – never reading it.
This morning I was moving quickly through pages, actually determined to find a bit of information about the Pope’s visit to the Holy Lands, to use in this week’s podcast. My eye caught a message, “Blog This.” It was near the Bible quote. I had never noticed that button, though I’m sure its been there all along. And so I read the object of the message – what is the “this” that I should blog?
“and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15
That’s it! “Blog this.” Of course! It’s the first message Jesus proclaims. Check the reference: Mark 1 – the first and oldest Gospel, the first chapter, the first recorded words of Jesus. “Blog this.”
When you think of all the distortions and contortions of the Christian message, all the different images that are conjured about Jesus because of our misunderstandings of love and our prejudices regarding others, its important to come back to where it started. It was a very simple message – the Kingdom of God is at hand. Turn from your ways. Believe in the good news!
— 
This week we celebrate the Ascension. Jesus ascends to heaven and in the Gospel of Matthew 28 we read that he instructs us to “baptize” (allow entry to the Kingdom) and “teach all that I have commanded you” (the good news of God’s love).
“Blog this” button courtesy of MyChurch.
“Blog this” command… well you get the point….
But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped `him’; but some doubted. And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Next Step #50 – May 20, 2009
Can the discipline of inhaling while exhaling have applications Moutside of music? The Armenian duduk and the Scottish bagpipe meet each other on common ground. But when Obama goes to Notre Dame, or the Pope goes to Jerusalem, can there be “common ground?” It’s all about the drone that keeps a monotone unchanging intonation throughout a song, a hymn, a chant or the sound of the universe. Today’s message ends with the story of Jesus’ Ascension. While Matthew 28 records the last words of Jesus on Earth, just before Ascending, the call to preach is better defined by His first words, as recorded in Mark 1.
Music: Gor Mkhitarian’s “Yeraz” (Dream)
Ani’s Bubles: “Stone Soup”
updated 032321 mm
Next Step #49 – May 13, 2009
Forget the clichés. Forget motherhood and apple pie? In this post-Mothers’ Day tribute, Fr. Vazken doesn’t fill the Hallmark prescription for the day, instead he reveals a new understanding of the sacraments. Is it a roadmap for parenting? Definitely, it is a means of living in the orthodox tradition. “Sacramental Mothering” is yet another key to Armenian orthodoxy as it continues to pave the road for spiritual wholeness. This episode is must-listen in the continuing evolution of the oldest faith tradition.
Remembrance of Vahagn Setian
Featured song: “Panama Freighter” by Ian Anderson in honor of Jethro Tull’s performance in Armenia.
Ani’s Bubbles: Three Guests for Dinner
updated 032321 mm
Next Step #48 – May 6, 2009
The collective and past moments in our individual lives has contributed towards our identity. Earlier this year, Fr. Vazken’s trip to Armenia initiated a discussion at Etchmiadzin, the Holy Mother See, about identity. And this week with the passing of three people, Ankine Mouradian, Jora Markarian and Rev. Fr. Vartan Dulgarian, the line is drawn between their lives and ours. Using the metaphor of the onion, we can imagine ourselves as being composed of layers, and each layer around us there for a reason, including the hurts and the pains we’ve lived through. These are the experiences that today give us the strength to reach out to someone else now experiencing the same. What about the purity of the message? Well, time to tune in and find out how to keep it pure.
Ani’s Spiritual Bubbles talks about priorities.
Global Perspective with Hratch Tchilingirian: World Press Freedom Day and the theme of media potential in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding, and reconciliation to focus on the moral responsibility of reporting the truth.
Musical selection is Melineh Kurdian singing “As Good as You” from her album, From Where You Are.
updated 032321 mm
He was looking forward to a century of life. His life ended one year short of that mark. Rev. Father Vartan Dulgarian passed to his eternal rest this evening.
Fr. Vartan was Genocide survivor. He was ordained later in life and served in the Fresno and Los Angeles areas within the Western Diocese. During the last six years he would come to our church in Glendale and was always ready to sing (which he did well at his age) and offer services and prayers. He offered the sermon on several occasions,and always included reflections from his childhood as a Genocide survivor. 
Tonight, just a couple hours before he expired I visited with him. I read the Gospel of St. John, chapter 14 “Do not be afraid – believe in God believe also in me. … I go to prepare a place for you.” You could tell in his eyes that the time had come for him to let go.
He leaves behind his daughter Sonia and her husband George.. He was respected in our community. I spoke with His Eminence, Archbishop Hovnan this evening. The final consecration will be at our church and he will be buried next to his yeretzgin in Fresno.
Service Information: Divine Liturgy and Consecration will take place Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 5:00PM at the St. Peter Armenian Church & Youth Ministries’ Center, 632 W. Stocker St., Glendale, CA 91202. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese will officiate.
Most people at our church got to know Fr. Vartan late in his life. I’ve known him for over 40 years, but during the last 6 years he has been a unique “character” – always ready to share a story and reflection on life. His talks were always interlaced with a joke, an anecdote, a deep philosophical thought. He sang in our choir – on pitch and in harmony. Whenever the going got tough in Glendale, I just needed to ask him and he was ready to cover for me at a sacrament or a blessing. He had more energy than people half his age. He loved to write and has penned countless books, articles and essays – during the last few years, many of those were reflections of his life at our church.
The last year was a tough one for him. He slowed down quite a bit. Today his body is at rest after a long and tiring journey, from Genocide, to Egypt, to America all in service to his people.
May God rest the soul of His servant Fr. Vartan.
