The Clear Light of Day

by Penelope Wilcock

Recently ordained and more recently divorced, Reverend Esme Browne finds herself at an uncomfortable crossroads when stationed at the Portland Road Chapel. In addition to the seaside town, she also now bears the spiritual responsibility for two country chapels, which, for the efficient, well-versed, forty-something lifelong student should be exciting, invigorating and even hopeful. Esme, however, has forgotten how to pray, and, she fears, how to feel.

A chance encounter with an eccentric pair of country gnostics may change all that, but she'll have to be willing to juggle the demands of the Church, her parishes and a bevy of well intended but nibby neighbours, before she'll know for sure.

Features and Benefits Esme's dilemmas of balancing career with her personal life resonate with women of any profession.

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Contemporary, Religion, Ebooks

307 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Penelope (Pen) Wilcock is the author of over twenty books, including The Hawk & the Dove Series 1 (9 volumes), and The Hawk & the Dove Series 2.
Having got back the publishing rights to her books, she and her husband Tony Collins have now republished them under their own imprint Humilis Hastings on the Amazon publishing platform. Pen Wilcock shares the profits from all her Humilis Hastings sales with a community of Carthusian monks in Sussex where she lives.
She has been a Methodist minister and has worked as a hospice and school chaplain.

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those considering reading this be advised that it didn't read completely like fiction but more like a lesson on spirituality as we watched Esme struggle with the expectations and busyness of pastoral life. I enjoyed the insights I took away from it.

[Andrew Pierce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it - an insight into the world of a Methodist minister for those (like me) with minimal knowledge of the denomination. It also gave a perspective on love, loneness, belonging.

[David Butters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this lovely book by a friend. The beautiful story centres on a recently divorced Methodist minister, Esme, who as the book opens has just arrived in her new Ministry, consisting of three chapels. The characters she encounters range from the helpful senior steward, Marcus Griffiths, via the enigmatic but seemingly exceptionally wise Seer Ember, to the fierce and fiery religious traditionalist Miss Trigg. But the main person we and Esme are introduced to is one Jabez Ferrall; a widowed mechanical handyman who Esme come across in her quest for a bicycle.
The story focuses on Esme and Jabez, both essentially lonely people, and we follow their developing relationship from acquaintance, to friendship and, finally, to love. All of the characters, particularly the main protagonists and the lady Seer Ember, are drawn with skill and perception and this lovely story is told with such gentleness and realism it is utterly believable. Nothing over-dramatic occurs to disturb or upset the reality of the narrative. But the way the climax of the story is reached and how the suspense as to what finally happens to Esme and Jabez is handled; a true lesson in understatement but, at the same time, exciting storytelling.
How Esme and Jabez’s relationship pans out must here be left unsaid. Buy the book; I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. I know I shall be returning to ‘The Clear Light Of Day’ again and again.

[Andrea Engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esme, a divorced, middle-aged, Methodist minister, enters a new pastoral charge at Southarbour, a seaside, English town, with two country chapels, Brockhyrst Priory and Wiles Green … she juggles the usual workaday demands of her position with a certain, spiritual hunger … unusually atmospheric …

[Jeanne Modisett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts out a little slow. The main character is somewhat interesting but the two friends she meets during her pastorate are intriguing. This makes it more interesting. I was disappointed in the ending.

[Melissa Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!!

[RHONDA · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to like it. I tried to read it numerous times but finally gave up after getting 1/2 done.

[Howard Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I read this book with.great delight very worthy of its ranking given by other readers. I will read more from this author.

[Tina Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one just didn't work for me.

[Jorge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me resultó aburrido

[Georgia Herod · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wilcock is the author of The Hawk and the Dove trilogy, which I have read and reread. Although she’s also written other fiction and poetry, I’ve been unaware of her work. A Methodist minister who served as a fulltime pastor to six rural congregations simultaneously in England, she’s divorced and remarried and has been assigned to the Aylesbury Circuit in Buckinghamshire, England. She believes “that God speaks to us through every smallest circumstance of life.”

The Clear Light of Day seems to be autobiographical, based on the above facts about Wilcock’s life. Rev. Esme Browne is recently ordained and divorced--two major emotional life events, on top of which she is assigned to the Portland Road Chapel, where she is the spiritual leader for the village, as well as two country chapels, in what seemingly would be an exciting challenge. However, in the midst of her life as a student and being religious, Esme has failed to tend her own soul. As a result, she seems to have lost hope, along with the vitality of her prayer life, and even more seriously, she's become emotionally numb. As she begins her new position, she is struggling with her faith, her prayer life, her identity, her loneliness—quite frankly, she’s not happy in ministry—or so it seems to me.

Jabez Ferrall and Seer Ember, who reminds me of a gypsy (names have significance), enter Esme's life and provide refuge, friendship, and challenge to her view of life, ministry, and the church. Jabez has walked away from church because his wife had a long, lingering illness, and died—in spite of the church members coming to pray for her.

Jabez and Seer are “spiritual,” without being “religious.” They present a strong anti-church position (cf. The Shack by Wm. Young—similar themes in these two books).

While it is difficult to argue against the “spirituality” of Jabez and Seer, Esme’s dissatisfaction with her life and role and her seeming lack of a dynamic relationship with Christ, along with the negative church member who is very legalistic and critical, makes the gnostic worldview of Jabez and Seer very attractive. As Esme realizes her attraction to Jabez, she confronts her crisis of faith and future in ministry.

If I didn’t have such stacks of unread books around, I’d reread this, looking at the worldviews expressed more closely.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a head-shaker. As a practicing Anglican, I appreciated the sympathetic insight into the life of a Methodist minister, (and ironically, read this after the inimitable Phil Rickman's The Secrets of Pain and I love his books, but am dismayed by the overwhelmingly negative portrait of a parish church) but found there was, if possible, too much insight in this book.
Esme, the main character makes challenging decisions in the midst of crises of faith, but the first two chapters seemed to be devoted to exposition. There were also laundry lists of a pastor's schedule, which were accurate (and likely drawn from the author's calendar), but the same sense of overwhelming busy-ness could be just as well portrayed in context, or added to the plot. Just not a lot happening in terms of plot. Yes, this is a character study rather than a plot-driven novel, but editing was needed.
In the end, I warmed to the story, but after all the build up, the ending seemed abrupt in comparison with the opening.
A brave try, and I hope the author tries some more. I'm sure it's a good discussion book for church book clubs and for pastors, male & female. (If they have the time to read it.)

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Give this book a chance! I found it slow to get into, but as I moved through it I found myself liking it more! I really liked the characters, and enjoyed the story the most when it included Jabez and Ember. As Esme visited their cottage, I could feel myself being pulled into the haven of peace and security! Everyone should have a place like that to visit! The story did go in the direction I hoped it would, but at times I wasn't sure it would head that way. Even though at times the story seemed complicated, it really wasn't, and was sort of a breath of fresh air for its simplicity.
The thing about the story I appreciated the most was the reminder to slow down in life! Appreciate the simple things, avoid the "rushing" in our lives, live simply, minimize, nurture and pay attention to the relationships in your life.....all good reminders in this day and age of rush here and there, constant distractions and electronic gadgets always competing for time in our lives.
Take some time for this book......I think you will be happy you did!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two lonely souls looking for love and companionship. Esme, a divorced Methodist minister, is overwhelmed by her ministerial duties and losing focus in her spiritual journey. Jabez, mourning the loss of his beloved wife, lives a simple life, but is lonely. In Jabez's simple cottage, Esme finds a place of peace and acceptance. She is also able to find a way to connect to her inner search for God. My favorite quote: "To walk with God is an unfolding rhythm of life, a wild music of many moods and tempos, embracing the shadows of doubt and disillusionment and the black dark of despair as well as the sweet blue heavens of joy and affirmation, the glorious sunset colors of the soul moved by beauty, amazed by peace." Savor the slow pace of this book and seek the insight it affords.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story. It opens with a quote "Down the avenue of trees I can see a spot of sunlight. I'm trying so hard to get there." The story opens with Esme, a Methodist minister at a stage of spiritual burnout. She is feeling unfulfilled in her personal faith and questioning her effectiveness as a minister. She meets an unusual man named Jabez who is lost in his own emotional turmoil after the death of his wife. He has a deep personal faith but finds the institutional church to be insufficient for him. Through her friendship with Jabez and his renter, Ember, Esme comes to a point where she is willing to be vulnerable and risk her well ordered life for something greater. She finds her way out of formality and into a natural expression of faith...and ultimately love.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard getting into it at first. Then it caught my attention and at the end lost me again. When I start reading a book I push through until the end no matter how painful it is. This could have been a great story. The Author needs to take advice from her own writing and simplify.No need to speak over our heads or to speak down to us. We are your audience. A novel or book should capture our attention and our imagination.

[Margaret Fraleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was hard to get into. However, as the story unfolded, it became more clear. A couple of times I was going to stop reading it, but I am glad that I finished the book.

Good lessons to be learned.

[Haije Bergstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book reveals the spiritual journey of a Methodist and the friendship that is evolving between to people in her village. The book offers a lot of wisdom to slow down life and enjoy the place and people you care for.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting read. I liked Esme and her questioning. even as a minister sometimes just going through the motions is all one can do... will she find what she is most wanting in her life? a friend. someone to share it with.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an OK read, but nothing close to her marvelous, The Hawk and the Dove.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Veddy British" and read a little like a Masterpiece Theater knock-off-- sort of a lesser Cranford. OK, but no revelations here.

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

two stars

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

[ebook]

[Tappo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me take a look at my own beliefs about church as an institution.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh.

(would have given 2.5 stars if possible)

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was slow at the beginning, but once I got further into the book, it was a really good read!

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy it. This is not the usual type of book I read, but it presents some interest ideas about faith and religion.

[Teresa Burns]

Gentle. Reflective. Fun and introspective characters. Oozes with love.

[Alison]

kindle 304

[Paula Watson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my kind of book. Very Christian based. Not what I was thinking it would be.