Tooth is a Maximum, not Teeth

A Tooth for a tooth is the maximum sentence

Next Step with Fr. Vazken #787 – February 19, 2024 – The disconnect between what is being preached and what we go through every day. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth are the maximums; in Gaza its about pulling all the teeth. News, what to do with it? Unshaken is not unchangeable. Value of Church attendance: It’s not about God. “Won’t slow down” is nothing new for us as its “Better to burn out than it is to rust.”
Links
Next Step #229 Abstract to the Tangible – epostle
Israel before the UN Court
Lenten Sunday Videos
Wind Pushing Boeing Airplane 787 
Reclaim Conference
Lenten and Spiritual Messages
Melanie
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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2024 Exposed

Next Step #786 – January 21, 2024 – Starting the year off with renewal for mission. Israel and Palestinians. The first Christians and the first voice. The South African call Israel out for Genocide. Jesus beyond ethnicity. Indian Orthodox Church and Mission. The missing message. Changing the conversation: Courage
Links to Discussed topics
50 Days of Advent
Matrilineality in Judaism
Encounter with Indian Orthodox Church
Encounter in Rwanda
The Image of Jesus
Who Would Jesus Bomb?
Martin Luther King on Loving Enemies
Reclaim Conference 2024
Focused Vision
Epostle.net
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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Khatchadourian at 120: A conversation with Maestro Raffi Mikaelian

Khatchadourian at 120: A conversation with Maestro Raffi Mikaelian
Next Step #785 – December 19, 2023 – A conversation with Maestro Raffi Mikaelian, Conductor of the Armenian National Opera and Ballet Theater in Yerevan, following a concert dedicated to Aram Khatachourian’s music on the 120th anniversary of his birth. Discussing the great composer, his music, and a “hidden” Anthem. Changing from Lenin, Soviet and October to God, Eternal and Our Father, and where to go from there. Spirituality in music.
Reference Links:
Maestro Raffi Mikaelian – biography (see below)
Concert at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, December 3, 2023
Paros Choir – 30th Anniversary Jubilee
Aram Khatachadourian – Virtual Museum
Advent 50 – Daily Podcast Series
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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Maestro Raffi Mikaelian

Raffi Mikaelian is the Artistic director & Conductor of the
“Paros Chamber Choir” and Conductor at
“The National Opera & Ballet Theatre of Armenia”

Born in Kuwait in 1985, Raffi Mikaelian started his music education
at the age of six in Tripoli, Lebanon, where he learned to play the piano, then he attended
“Hamazkayin’s P.Ganatchian Music school” in Beirut where he started his choir conducting
lessons with the well-known conductor Zakar Keshishian. In 2003, he moved to Yerevan,
Armenia to study at the “Yerevan State Conservatory named after Komitas” where he obtained
his Masters and Postgraduate degree in Choral conducting (Class of I.Vartanian) and a Bachelor
in Orchestra Conducting (Class of R.Asatryan) in 2010. Mikaelian moved to the USA in 2015
where he obtained his “Artist Diploma” in orchestra conducting from the “San Diego State
University” in 2017 (Class of M.Gerdes). He has participated in Masterclasses with Alexander
Polyanichko, Kenneth Kiesler, Colin Metters, Peter Oundjian and Dr. Patrick Walders.

Raffi Mikaelian is well known in Armenia for his performances with the “Paros” chamber
choir, “Havatamq” female choir and Armenian Orchestras. Since 2009, he has been Artistic
Director of the “Paros” chamber choir (consisting mainly of singers with physical disabilities)
and has led them to four silver medals in the “World Choir Games” in Riga, Latvia (2014) and
Sochi, Russia (2016). In 2016 he conducted a performance for his Holiness Pope Francis in
Etchmiadzin, Armenia. Mikaelian has worked with artists such as Placido Domingo, Jeffrey
Douma, Davit Karapetyan and musicians of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. He was
awarded the First Prize and “Best Conductor” Prize at the “Kolozha Blagovest” Competition in
Grodno, Belarus in 2014 with the “Havatamq” female choir.

Mikaelian is founder and conductor of “Voce Dell’orchestra” in Los Angeles where they
mainly perform at the St.Leon Armenian Cathedral in Burbank, CA alongside the “Shnorhali”
choir. He is also assistant conductor and Board member of “Musica Vitale” in Coronado, CA
since 2018. Guest conducting appearances have included work with the “Open Arts Community
Choir” in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the St. Petersburg Youth Orchestra in Russia. Mikaelian
premiered T.Mansurian’s “Requiem” in San Diego with “Musica Vitale”. In 2019 & 2023
together with “Paros Chamber Choir” let performances at “Les Invalides”, “Eglise de la Sainte
Trinité” & “La Seine Musicale” in Paris, France.

In 2022 Raffi Mikaelian was appointed conductor at the “National Opera & Ballet
Theater of Armenia” where he regularly performs every month.
International tours include: Armenia, Austria, Belarus, France, Iran, Latvia, Lebanon, Northern
Ireland (UK), Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Syria, U.A.E. and the U.S.A.

Psalm 37: Impossible Reconciliation with War

Next Step #784 – November 23, 2023 – Thanksgiving edition at the beginning of Advent and in the middle of a war. Discussed in this episode: The impossible the reconciliation of Psalm 37 with war. Power, Horseys and the meek. Armodoxy Delivers: Religion with practical application, connecting the dots in life today, not in the future. The Three fundamental questions: leaving God to deal with those things we can’t forces us to take up what is in our hands, namely peace and understanding. Religion and its application.
Advent 50 Series – Essential Teaching of Jesus
Psalm 37
An invite Christians Can’t Ignore
No atheists in birthing rooms
Thank U Very Much, The Scaffold Song
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Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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An Invite Christians Can’t Ignore

Next Step #783 – November 10, 2023 – Why Christians cannot ignore this moment in history. No need to read Revelation, it’s selfevident. Jesus’ message was peace, and it does not fit as an ‘addendum’ to the Old Testament. It is a New message, and a new testament. The challenge from Burmingham: A call and challenge to the Church and Christians everywhere. The appalling stories that demand answers. Genocide in the works: What happens when WWJD evolves to WWJS, WWJK and WWJB? Epostle takes first steps into the metaverse and returns with new programming.
Links:
Must Reading Today: Letter from Burmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr.
Epostle.net Daily Messages
Armodoxy for Today: Saints and the Power Within
Icons on Pushkin
World Vision at the Armenian Church, sermon by Fr. Vazken 11/5/23
“Now and Then” by the Beatles
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Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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Missing Steps

Missing Steps

Next Step #782 – October 20, 2023 – Forget Armageddon, listen to this and then act. Here are the “missing steps” in moving forward. A month after the loss of Nagorna Karabakh, Fr. Vazken comes with a response to the collective disappointment plaguing the Armenian community. Victim mentality returns with a loss of self-worth. Now Israel and war, without an alternative, why Bibles are not the answer. Jesus as revolutionary and the loss of that revolution. Fighting fire with water instead with fire. In His Shoes toward peace.
Freeway Blocked – Armenia & Karabakh
Who would Jesus bomb?
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
Leveraging Love
Lucy Yeghiazarian
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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Hours Later

Next Step #781 – September 21, 2023 – Hours after the cease-fire in Artsakh, people deal with the new reality. Fr. Vazken shares thoughts from the 1988 protests to this day.
CBS News Account
CivilNet Account
Amerikatsi Movie
Armodoxy for Today. Today
AP Source
Leveraging Love
CNSY Living with War
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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Natural Solutions with Supernatural Consequences

Super Solutions that are Natural

Next Step #780 – August 18, 2023 – Looking for solutions to the supersized crises from the blockade in Artsakh to the wildfire in Hawaii, Fr. Vazken points to natural solutions with supernatural consequences. Empathy comes alive, lip-service ends, children learn, and so do we. Begging others –  America, Russia or France – ends. Weapon and resources we’ve always had and echoed by Khirimian Hayrig himself. A call to donated to Hawaiian Wildfire Relief. Effective protest- to the point and ones which get answers – tried and proven. Religious prejudice and Carlos Santana’s Supernatural. Jesus’ natural supernatural abilities.

Links from today’s podcast:
Blockade in Artsakh
Open Wounds and you’d never know
Los Angeles Freeways Blocked
Carlos Santana gets away with Supernatural talk
Hawaiian Wildfire Tragedy
In His Shoes – Hawaiian Wildfire Relief
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Cover Photo – Finger & statue at Cascade 2014
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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Changing Center

Next Step #779 – July 28, 2023 – A call to believe in the power within… Artsakh blockade continues as do the pleas for help. Armenian clergy meet with the US State Department and the vicious circle of victimization continues. Protests take place everywhere except Baku and Ankara. Anthropocene affecting more than we bargained for. Leveraging Love is still the only viable choice – from Archimedes’ lever to Jesus’ mustard seed, the solution is with us.
Beatles Pub in Yerevan
Clergy/State Department Meeting re: Artsakh
Artsakh Blockade 7/28/23
Tankian Spins support
Fr. Vazken on Anthropocene 5yrs ago
Ian Anderson’s Divinities: Twelve Dances with God
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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Did You Notice This?

Next Step #778 – July 16, 2023 – A look at the Transfiguration and a look at what we miss. Did you notice? The story of Joseph and Mary’s son. Not who you may think. Actually Joseph and Mary are not who you think. Personal reflections.
Basement Tapes with Sousanna Pogosian
Joseph & Mary’s Son
Armen Movsisyan Unplugged
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for http://Epostle.net
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