Rembrandt, Palaces, and Psalm-Roars
When I saw Rembrandt's Paul, I imagined the Apostle as an elderly statesman looking back to a life of faithful service to his King.
It’s been almost two weeks since our return from England. I keep meditating on our time. I have always said that my critique of modern culture is the lack of contemplation on life. In my ideal world, we would sit and talk about every trip to a new land, have meaningful conversations, sip fine wine, and discuss exquisite cups of coffee. But life moves from glory to glory. So, pardon me as I ramble on a meaningful trip to a new land a bit longer.
My travel in the U.S. has been quite extensive. I have visited almost 40 states and grew up in South America, where we have since planted a congregation in Brazil (my home country). So, my experience on two continents has given me a sense of this part of the world in its cuisine and distinct sociological contributions. But Europe was something quite unique in its placement in Western tradition. England, in particular, has the capacity to intervene in world affairs with pomp and pride.
I was deeply moved by visiting the National Gallery in London. We met some dear friends from Moscow, ID there, who kindly guided us through the art pieces. I loved contemplating Rembrandt’s image of an elderly St. Paul. The artist was particularly fascinated with Paul, the man. The Apostle’s contemplative style displays the pastoral countenance of one who has fought well. His posture seems very Solomonic from Rembrandt’s viewpoint.
Speaking of pomp, we posed before Buckingham Palace during our many visits. The place offers the aura of the monarchy with the kinds of ritualistic rhythms you expect from the Church of England and a country steeped in conquests. There were no sightings of the King or the ghost of the Queen. As you stare into the massive structure, it’s easy to overlook the significance of the place in history.
After our delightful day, we checked into our hotel to change and walked a mile for a double date with an old parishioner of mine at a local Italian restaurant. Max Graham attended Providence for over a year and has since moved to England for military work and has found himself a lovely young English lady, whom he is to marry in the next couple of days. It was the perfect way to end our time.
Unlike our trip to England, our return was easy, like Sunday morning. We woke early the next morning and boarded from Heathrow back to DFW. There is nothing like arriving in the U.S. It’s the abundance everywhere that sings my soul; the excited police officer cracking a joke and the smells of capitalism in every restaurant.
Our arrival led us back to our five children, who were eager to see us. My oldest son had prepared a meal with sushi bowls, egg rolls, and dipping sauces. It was delicious, and we cherished being together again after eight days. I will miss Jersey and London and hope to see some fruitful CREC work begin in the future.
Providence Duties…Singing Duties
The next morning began quite early with breakfast with a CREC-friendly pastor in Louisiana who came down to the Holy Land to experience our singing and worship at Providence Church. Stuart Amidon is doing some good work in Lafayette, Louisiana. I commend his labors and hope to see him join the tribe in the CREC. We had a delightful time together and hope to touch base again in early 2025, next time in his hometown.
That evening has been on the books for a few months now and is one that I’d only miss if I am in a deep coma. Still, I’d make arrangements to be there in spirit. Our Wine and Psalm-Roar have become part of our congregation's DNA. The arrangement is pretty simple. We set the place up in the sacred harp format. Singers form a “hollow square” facing each other, with the leader standing in the center. This formation allows for easy communication and coordination among the singers and allows for the people to sing to each other. For specific pieces, the four sections are divided into four parts. Our new Psalm, ‘Tis By Thy Strength, The Mountains Stand,’ is an example of this setup:
Here is our selection for those interested:
It’s good to be back to the normal routine. I know I am a few days late in updating everyone, and I am grateful for all the paid subscribers who incentivize me to write and spur me to reflect on my labors.
~Uriesou Brito
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