Dreaming Happiness

Next Step #189: MLK's "American Dream" serves as a backdrop for our discussion on happiness. Recent finding suggest religion adds value to the Happiness Hypothesis, how about for you? Fr. Vazken shares thoughts on the Sayat Nova Dance Group and their 25th Anniversary Concert, the MLK/In His Shoes 9th Anniversary Hike, Team In Her Shoes to fight breast cancer, and upcoming plans to bring awareness to issues of domestic violence. Fr. Artoon Sempadian passes away - today's song "Hayrik" is dedicated in his memory. 
Links to today's topics:
Happiness Hypothesis & Religion: http://www.religionandsociety.org.uk/research_findings/featured_findings/religion_adds_value_to_the_happiness_hypothesis
Sayat Nova Dance Group of Boston: http://www.sayatnova.com/
Team In Her Shoes: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-In-Her-Shoes/292120147471155
Dr. King's "American Dream" Speech:
Fr. Artoon Sempadian passes away: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fresnobee/obituary.aspx?n=artoon-sempadian&pid=155538890
Song: "Hayrik" by Norayr Kartashyan
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com

Extremism from Dr. King, The Forerunner & El Gordo

Next Step #188: A discovery 2 Quadrillion times the size of the Sun "El Gordo" & 7 Billion Light years away, brings the discussion of Mystery close to home.  A look at Sirach and Einstein's take on mystery, it is the cornerstone of life and sight, says the world renown physicist. St. John the Forerunner prepares the way of the Lord with a call to repentance. Jesus' command to love your enemies comes alive in the teaching of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with emphasis on his REV, he's a minster of the Gospel. It's all connected and Fr. Vazken connects the dots again. The simple prayer - "Lord, if you open my mouth, I will sing your praise" leads to the Epostle.net experience.
Song: You Must be Born Again by Dorothy Love-Coates: http://www.amazon.com/You-Must-Be-Born-Again/dp/B0015P2F3E
Ani's Bubble - Extremist for Life - quotes from Martin Luther King Jr.
El Gordo: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/01/11/145043195/el-gordo-galaxy-with-mass-2-quadrillion-times-the-suns-discovered
Sirach 43: http://www.newadvent.org/bible/sir043.htm
Returning Home Sermon: http://armenianorthodoxy.blogspot.com/2012/01/returning-home.html
More on Dr. King & John the Baptist: http://epostle.net/archives_season2.html#31
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com

Declaring What is Evident

Next Step #172: Twenty years of independence for Armenia gives cause to reflect on "declaring what is self-evident" and how to take the next step to actualize dreams of independence - personally and as an institution. Determining which laws are just and which are unjust. What is God's law and rules? A reading of the Declaration of Independence and Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail. Just/unjust laws. Why you won't see things getting better in the Armenian Church. The role of institutions: maintaining and preserving the status quo. We know the problems - now what's the solution - When the door opened the first woman deacon entered - its time to do the same. The Centrality of Christ in the Church - if He's in the church, what is more important outside? If he's not, everything outside can be more important. Answering the argument and problem of language in the church - here it is!
New podcast - Compass at http://epostle.net
Music: "Mer Hayrenik" - National Anthem of Armenia. Watch video at http://youtu.be/je95_TmJd6s 
Ani's Bubbles: What Cancer Can Do.
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com

There's still time to Vote for the Next Step at the 7th Annual Podcast Awards (http://www.podcastawards.com/) in the category "Religious Inspiration"
Nominations close September 30, 2011.  Please get your votes in!
URL for Next Step nomination: http://www.blubrry.com/nextstep

Busting the Noah Myth

Next Step #85: Robertson blames God: A look at the absurdity of juvenile theodicy. Haitians will work for food, Conan will not work and still have food (and plenty of $Money!) What's going on here? How come Noah missed the unicorns, but picked up some bad guys on the way up to Ararat? A reading from a 1988 Sermon on the Earthquake in Armenia. Follow up on the MLK retreat at the God’s 1st church (pre-Armenia): Khrimian, Gandhi, King, Chavez and Dink all in the mix. The Proclamation from Delano turned poetry. What happens when Blinky and a plastic bobble-head Jesus meet for discussion? It’s all here in this podcast. Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for ePostle.net

The Orthodoxy of Dr. King’s Message

Next Step #84: You don’t need CES or 3D to be enveloped in Christianity, just dare to bring Christ off of the altar and you might dare to call Martin Luther King, orthodox! On the eve of the MLK Retreat, Fr. Vazken looks at the teachings of non-violence by Gandhi, Dr. King and Cesar Chavez and the One who inspired them all. Finding spirituality in the messages of hope. A letter from Paul to the Americans? It’s just a prophet speaking to the times and against hypocrisy – as did St. John the Forerunner. And did someone call Robertson a Christian? The Haitian Earthquake and the In His Shoes response: www.inhisshoes.org
Music: We Shall Overcome, 1963
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for www.epostle.net

Theophany – Juxtaposing Christ and Darfur

Next Step #83: Theophany as a way of life today and not only in history. How can you be excited about “Christ being born” while Children are dying in Darfur? Fr. Vazken takes the listener through a thought-process and arrives at the Nativity/Revelation of God as a participant in a Living Message. Start of the New Year with a candid revelation of disappointments within the institution of church as well.
Upcoming news about the Martin Luther King Retreat
Song of the Day: Glory to God in the Highest by Narek Bell Choir of St. Mary & Junior Choir of Sts. Sahag/Mesrob;
Ani's Bubbles: A Christmas Prayer;
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for Epostle.net

Two Kindred Spirits Separated By Millennia

John the Baptist and Martin Lurther King Jr. are two giants – one a Biblical figure, the other contemporary, yet they serve the same God and the same Lord. What is the legacy left by these ushers of the Way? Fr. Vazken brings together the work and mission that has driven these people to point the way to Christ. They stood up courageously against the power structure, urging peace, justice, and love, even unto death, and thus became martyrs for their unwavering preaching of the Kingdom of God.

Also, a look at the life and ministry of Fr. Mesrob Sarafian, an archpriest of the Armenian Church who went to his eternal rest this week. Notes from Oakland California, including an emotive reading from his funeral rite.