Four Stories by James Clarke
Mary’s mother tells the Rabbi the most amazing tale: (for The Annunciation) “Rabbi, it had been a lovely spring day, good to be able to work outside with the other …
Blog Archives
Hope is a Journey
The poster for the forthcoming film The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry features the strapline ‘Hope is a Journey’. Harold leaves the house one day to post a reply to a card from a friend …
Barricades
We build our barricades, Sometimes we have to, Life throws its missiles at us and our defences go up. Mishap… misadventure… mistreatment… These things come our way, and we have …
‘Life Finds a Way’
‘Life Finds a Way.’ This is a quote from the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World series of movies. It appears on one of the posters. And it came to mind …
Without
I may go to church and attend lots of meetings. I may write and share a few lines like these, I may scribble all the right phrases, And say the …
Praying
What is praying? Kneeling down, hands together eyes closed? Lifting our hands and faces to heaven? Sitting quietly, saying nothing? Sensing the presence of God in the face of another? …
Babylon
This film is set in the Hollywood of the 1920s and 30s, as silent movies give way to sound. It tells the tale of folks chasing success and stardom and …
Hold On
May we hold on to love and loyalty, Tuck them safely into our being. May we hunt for wisdom, chase it down the years, Not setting our own ideas as …
Yoda, Mr Keating, Hosea and Jesus
I recently put together a short drama about Jesus going into the wilderness, and as I was writing it a thought crept into my head from leftfield. I always think …
Muddying the Water
(Inspired by a post on Facebook) If you take a jar of water and add a little earth, you’ll find mud accumulates, and that just makes hard work. The mud will cloud …
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Puss in Boots has a problem, he is down to the last of his nine lives, and the only way he can retrieve the other lives is by finding the …
Ecclesiastes Way
I keep seeing an old rugged cross, Something about gain, something about loss, Sometimes it shimmers with diamond glory, Sometimes there is blood, and another story. It keeps showing up, …
Living Letters
I’m a living parable. You’re a living parable. A many-layered tale that others constantly read. Friends, strangers, passers-by, work colleagues, shop assistants, family, we may not realise it, we may …
Bank of Dave
This week’s film-inspired thought comes from a movie based on the true and continuing story of Dave Fishwick and his independent bank in Burnley. With local folk struggling and unable …
Jesus in the Wilderness – (Matthew 4 v 1-11) – a simple drama
Jesus in the Wilderness – click this line to download a word document copy. Cast – Narrator, Jesus, some angels, some wild animals, some people This drama needs no rehearsals, …
Lent Prep
His last few days, his last few jobs. That chair, and the damaged roof across the way. Maybe one or two unexpected walk-ins, folk discovering sudden emergencies. And then he’ll by up …
Jesus and The Blind Man (John 9 v 1-16) – a simple drama
Cast – Narrator, Jesus, blind person, a couple of friends, two disciples, a couple of locals, two Pharisees This drama needs no rehearsals, just volunteers on the day who are …
This & Turning Those Tables
This Some days it’s a breeze, And everything make sense, Sometimes it’s like walking into the wind. Some days everything clicks, Like a well-oiled machine, Sometimes it’s like trying to …
A Man Called Otto
Otto is unhappy. And he doesn’t like other people. He is tired of life and has had enough. However, other people keep invading his space, and though at first he …
Testament & Parables
In the online movie Testament (you can find it here at angel.com) Luke is going around collecting stories about Jesus. I have often thought of Luke as journalist, gathering reports and …
Masks
We play hide and seek with others, But there is no hiding with you. And what if that’s a good thing, Something kind and honest, accepting and new. To be …
Now
Now… stands and listens, slows up, tunes in. Restless… wanders, paces, pauses, twists, flinches then paces some more. Hurry… can’t stand still for a second. Present… sees what is going …
A short interview about my book Man of Joy & Sorrow
You can hear a short interview I gave on UCB1 radio recently here. Interview with UCB1’s Helen Price. And you can see this and other features on Helen’s UCB1 page …
The Cracks Within
The cracks are not of our choosing. We long for them to disappear. We would choose strength and perfection. And if we did, the light would be held perfectly, Framed …
I Wanna Dance with Somebody
Fame is bad for you. Sorry to be so unequivocal about it, perhaps it’s fairer to say, too much fame is bad for you. It’s certainly the thought I was …
Sanctum
Together
Sometimes it seems as if There is so much space between us, Acres of uneven ground to cover, No one’s reason or fault particularly, Just contrasts of place, life, purpose, …
Avatar: I See You
Watching the latest Avatar movie – The Way of Water – it seems to me that in this age where many see no great overarching truth in life, we still long for …
Reasons to Believe
That sacred space within us, That gentle humming reverence inside, That warm smile offered, That longing for a better world. That glimpse of winter sun, That sense that we were …
Simeon
How long had he known? How long had he carried the promise? Did he sense it years before Mary was even born? Did he have days when he questioned it? …
Two More Christmas Monologues by James Clarke
The Centurion “Now, Centurion, I want you to take your Cohort into Bethlehem tonight. Right into the heart of the town, they’re a rebellious lot anyway, and with this Imperial …
Knock Knock
Knock knock! Who’s there? Mary and Joseph. Mary and Joseph who? Mary and Joseph, who never expected life to go this way, bone-tired and needing a place to stay. Knock …
Imagine That
The film Imagine That is about high-flying executive Evan Danielson and his young daughter Olivia. Evan’s career is not in a good way, but when he starts to spend time with Olivia …
Cosmic
And did Abraham and Sarah, Rebekah and Isaac, Naomi and Ruth, Joseph and Moses join that cloud of witnesses that night, to hear the cries and snuffles and to catch …
A Little Child
And a little child shall lead them… A little child born in the night, A little child without wealth and privilege, A little child birthed in straw and danger, A …
The Village Rabbi Worries by James Clarke
“I really wish I could have gone with them. I know I could have helped them. I can’t, I have to register here for this awful Roman census, unlike Joseph …
Film Friday: The Swimmers
The Swimmers is based on the true story of Syrian sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini who escaped their war-torn country on a journey that included a plane, trucks, buses, cars, …
Unique
A christening service is well underway in a local church. Vicar: I christen this child… excuse me, how many siblings does she have? Mum: Three. Vicar: Great! I christen this …
Monday Rewrite: Signs and Wonders
(A chief angel is issuing orders to an impressive army of angels when he is interrupted by a minor cherub.) Right you lot listen up! Order in the ranks there. …
Wednesday Riff: I Will Stand With You
I will stand with you, Though it may not be the popular choice, I will stand with you, Though others may not understand, I will stand with you, To offer …
Film Friday: Living
The film Living is set in the 1950s and is about Mr Williams, a dedicated office worker who discovers he does not have long left on this earth. This makes him examine himself and …
Smile On
I believe in smiling, I believe it’s a good thing, A day-changing thing. I believe we can change the world One smile at a time, But like most things I …
A short thought inspired by All Quiet on the Western Front
The new version of All Quiet on the Western Front highlights once more the incredible courage and bravery of the soldiers on the front lines in WW1. The terrible conditions they endured …
Been working on a new book
Out now – Man of Joy & Sorrow. A new book full of thoughts, rewritten Bible bits, and creative pieces for reflecting on the life of Jesus. How grounded and …
Latest News
Hello, and thanks for visiting my site. There are loads of creative thoughts and pieces here, please feel free to draw on them, share them, make use of them if …
Film Friday Thought: The Power of the Dog
The title of this film comes from the Bible, from one of the Psalms – 22 verse 20, ‘Save my precious life from the sword and from the power of …
Wednesday Riff: Mountains
I climb one mountain, Convinced that I’ve made it to the top, Only to discover there is another peak up ahead, Another climb, another challenge. And so we climb on, …
Monday Rewrite: Feet on the ground
Jesus wasn’t insecure. Never needed to do anything for show or to prove himself, or big himself up. When he washed feet it wasn’t about him. Though it could have …
Film Friday: Blinded by the Light
There is a moment in this movie when Javed gives a heartfelt speech about his passion for writing and for the music of Bruce Springsteen, and for the love he …
Wednesday Riff: The Revolution
The revolution goes on, led by subtle rebels, And faithful, courageous, ordinary radicals, In the smiles and the serving and the showing of love, In the grind and the grit, …
