Norwich pastor's book offers hope in troubled times
A book written by a Norwich church pastor has been updated and re-printed for 2026. During this crisis in the Middle East when people may be looking for peace, this book for troubled times is shaped by a 17th century voice.
When How to Get What Money Can’t Buy : Personal Peace and Happiness in a World of Unrest was first published in 2008, author John Clements offered a clear and compelling reminder that the deepest riches of life — faith, character, courage, and meaningful relationships — lie far beyond the reach of money. This week, the book reaches its seventh impression, a milestone that reflects both its enduring appeal and its renewed relevance.
What gives the book its unusual depth is the story behind it. John, who is pastor of the Old Meeting House Congregational church. was inspired to write it after reading Lifting Up for the Downcast, a devotional classic published in 1648 by William Bridge. Bridge wrote during the upheaval of the English Civil War, a time marked by fear, division, and national uncertainty. His message was one of hope, resilience, and spiritual steadiness — themes that resonate strongly in John’s own work.
The connection is more than literary. Bridge founded the very chapel where John has served as minister for the past decade. That sense of standing in a long tradition of offering comfort and clarity in troubled times gives the book a unique lineage. It is, in a real sense, a conversation across the centuries.
Today, as war and global instability once again unsettle assumptions about security and the future, readers are returning to Clements’ book with fresh urgency. His writing speaks gently but firmly into the anxieties of the present moment, reminding us that the things which truly sustain us are not vulnerable to economic shocks or political turmoil.
John writes as a pastor who has walked with people through uncertainty, and as a thinker shaped by the wisdom of those who faced their own storms long before us. His voice is warm, steady, and deeply rooted — a modern echo of Bridge’s call to lift up the downcast.
With its seventh impression, How to Get What Money Can’t Buy is poised to reach a new generation of readers who are asking the same timeless question: What truly matters when everything else is shaken?
The book will be available on Amazon very shortly. You can get further details from John: john@drjohnclements.com