Xi: Voice from the Breathless

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Next Step #292 – January 9, 2014

Fr. Vazken reflects on the magical power of life at the time of death from the funeral and final consecration of Fr. Hovhanness of Blessed Memory. Listen in and hear the voice that comes from the Breathless but Consecrated Body of the Priest. A look at the priesthood as a Calling that is ON 24/7. Christianity in the Soviet atheist state. Also, on selecting a Godfather for the Blessing of Water.
Song: “Homeland” by Sonya Varoujian
Shiraz Yeghiazarian
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Riding Ahead with No Fears

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Next Step #291 – January 2, 2014

The New Year kicks off with a wild and fun ride through some fun places. Put on your head-gear, fasten your seat belt and drop the fear. In this episode Fr. Vazken takes the listener on a car ride with a clear windshield and a small rear view mirror. A great way to start the New Year and New Life as is the message of Theophany – GOD revealed among us. Not for the weak at heart (but the Rose Parade softens it up a bit).
Songs: Bambir: Auld Lang Syne
Datevik
Rose Parade
George Skelton: Mandela & Deukmejian
IHS – Darfur Divesting
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Crying Jesus & the New You

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Next Step #290 – December 26, 2013

At the live-nativity, Jesus cries and cries. Beyond the reference to his humanity, Fr. Vazken challenges the listener to explore levels of comfort (or discomfort) in listening to a message of Christmas. Herein is a message for the Church, one which may not be too well received or heard? What’s the New Year without a New You? Finding the new you in the new year. Also a review of the Christmas outreach programs.
Song: Zulal’s “Chouree bes yegah; kamu bes antzah”
Toy Drive 2013
St. Peter Mihran Tatiossian Blankets of love Project
Christmas Eve at St. Peter
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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War is Over/Solstice is Here

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Next Step #289 – December 19, 2013

A Christmas special with a different type of wish. Fr. Vazken challenges us to a new understanding of the Christmas message and its possibilities to bring peace to our lives and to the world. Cease-fire arrangements made at Christmas – The “War is over if you want it.” Solstice bells ring from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern. Best wishes and prayers for your life and the coming year. A primer to the New Year. Answer to the December 25/January 6 debate and when to celebrate?
Songs & Links:
Snoopy’s Christmas by the Royal Guardsmen
Jethro Tull’s “God Rest Ye Merry Gentle Persons,” “Another Christmas Song,” and “Solstice Bells”
Chicago “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
John Lennon’s Happy Christmas (the War is Over)
LEVON: A Wondrous Life
In His Shoes
Christmas Truce
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Big Giants is not a Redundancy

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Next Step #288 – December 12, 2013

The Armenian priest advocates for you, even unto death. Nelson Mandela’s memorial services – Dancing and singing is a celebration of life. Here is an opportunity to share the Christian message and the joy of Christianity as LIBERATOR, as FREEDOM, as VICTORY. Elevating the human spirit to timelessness by transferring the dash between the dates on the grave to the infinite. Remembering “A Saint is a sinner who keeps on trying.” (Stevenson) Pope Francis as Man of the Year. Lessons for us all in the lives of these two giants.
Obama’s reflections at the Mandela Memorial
Links – 100 Year Pilgrimage
Datev Toy Drive
Jethro Tull Christmas Album 
Jethro Tull at Oxford Cathedral
Cathia Hamparian Newsletter
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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How Much for Your Love?

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Next Step #287 – December 5, 2013

How much do you want for your love? “I’ll buy your a Cadillac… If you just give me some of your love…” say the minstrels Burdon & Aroustamian – but what about your love? Should you have an expectation for the giving-receiving-taking dynamics? Fr. Vazken asks along and challenges listeners for some candid conversation about expectations and demands from our Church. (More to come). Also – Priests stepping out at night: Gossip? or more? The minstrels as the priests of music and the arts. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) – some early reflections as the news of passing breaks during this recording session.
Song: “Free all the People (South Africa)” by Carlos Santana
Pope at night ministering to homeless
Cadillac by Ashot Aroustamian
Nelson Mandela Quotes
Sermon on the Apostles by Fr. Vazken
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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The President, Thanksgiving & Just Doing What’s Right

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Next Step #286 – November 28, 2013

A couple of Thanksgiving stories that intersect in a special way. President Obama stands across the Armenian Church, which inspires a message of thanksgiving for Fr. Vazken, but not without a jab at the victimization process. The second story is personal, as good deeds from the past are remembered years later: Just do the good, is the Christian message of hope – Setting sights on God’s Kingdom, Jesus says, and all else will follow. Listen in to this special Thanksgiving broadcast.
Song: Anatolian Memories by Al Bardezbanian
Happy Thanksgiving Mr. President
Intro song – Danny Kaye 
In His Shoes: http://inhisshoes.org
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Kennedy & the Armenian Church

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Next Step #285 – November 21, 2013

A personal look at the Kennedy Assassination 50 years later. This is a story of Fr. Vazken in the making – the influences and the drives that formulated his world view and how Armenian Orthodoxy is being shaped today. This is about a process of being born again as a person and as an institution. Stories about a roller coaster ride with the priest on-board: Landing on the track or ready for another ride around the coaster, its pretty scary.
Song: “Too Young to Die” by David Crosby
Fr. Vazken’s blog about the week
Killing of Kennedy
Datev Outreach: http://datevoutreach.org
Engineered by Ken T. Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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100YJ – First Steps

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Next Step #284 – November 14, 2013

In preparation for the 100th annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, Fr. Vazken begins with some preliminary steps of definition. Can a commemoration of such an evil be also a commemoration of life? Here’s the beginnings of the “100 Year Journey”™ you’re invited to take. The change of expression becomes a means of survival and hopefully growth. After all, the Resurrection was NOT the ONLY thing that followed the Crucifixion; here then is an Armodoxy model for the route from Genocide to Life. Expressions from Rwanda to the Philippines accent this discussion.
Song: “Halo” by Beyoncé
Help Haiti Now 
Blog: http://armodoxy.blogspot.com
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Transcriptions: Family and Religion

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Next step #283 – November 7, 2013

In a world of change religion evolves with challenges for defining family. Fr. Vazken takes the listener to some uncomfortable places in this discussion. Are we ready to go there? Is it necessary to go there as part of the evolutionary process? Transcriptions in music and Christianity. Datev Outreach – domestic abuse and children.
Song: Rachmaninoff by 0lga Kern
www.Armodoxy.blogspot.com
www.DatevOutreach.org
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
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