This week's competition

HAVE a go at our next competition (picture above). This time, there will be a special prize: Divine has once again produced an Advent calendar, richly illustrated with the nativity at its centre.

Behind each door, the story of the nativity unfolds with a heart of Divine milk chocolate. The back tells the story of cocoa farmers in Ghana who benefit directly from sales of their own Fairtrade chocolate brand.

The calendars are available for £4 each from Waitrose, Tesco, Booths, Ocado, and Oxfam, or online from www.divinechocolate.com/uk/shop (where there is more information about the Ghanaian farmers).

But we have a case of 24 Divine calendars for the winner of the next caption competition, ideal for a church Christmas fair or bazaar (or a large family). You have a little longer than usual to think of ideas.

By email  to: captioncompetition@churchtimes.co.uk.

By post  (postcards only) to: Caption Competition,Church Times, 3rd Floor, Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, London, EC1Y 0TG.

By fax  to: 020 7490 7093

Last week's competition

OUR photo of Chancellor Angela Merkel and Pope Francis was taken earlier in the year, but seemed fitting after Mrs Merkel's third election victory in the German elections. As Neil Inkley suggested:"No, Mrs Merkel, you must have misheard me. I said it took three miracles to be a saint."Or, put another way:"Bless me, Father, for I have winned a third time"(Richard Barnes).

European politics loomed large:"I may be a Protestant pastor's daughter, but I know just how much the Vatican should contribute to the EU if it were to join, Pope Francis, and you are nowhere near that figure. So try a few more fingers"(Vicky Lundberg);"Much as we might wish to bail out the Vatican Bank, Holy Father, I'm afraid your request for a €3- million interest-free loan will not be possible"(Richard Strudwick); and "I'll make three saints: two popes, and the Saviour of the Euro"(John Appleby).

Beyond this, there were several references to games:"Francis: 'Three-nil at half time!' Merkel: 'Yes, but you've used all your substitutes'"(John Appleby);"'Itisfour,' exclaimed the Pope, playing Spoof. 'The drinks are on you, Angela'"(Don Manley); and (a reference to the last competition photo):"No, Your Holiness, I didn't understand the cricket captions either"(Richard Barnes).

Another batch:"In the Catholic version of stone-paper-scissors, Trinity beats pistol"(Shaun Clarkson):"Stone, papal, scissors"(Julia Myles);"My three sticks of dynamite beat your gun"(Chris Coupe); and"Ah, your Holiness, for us Lutherans it's: schism, papist, stoned"(John Saxbee).

Thanks to Walter Richards, who reminded us of a classic joke:"Have you heard the one about the Englishman who goes into a Berlin bar and asks for a Martini?"The joke continues: The bartender asks "Dry?" He replies: "Nein, just one."

Other suggestions:"Not even a Pope can entertain Angelas unawares"(John Saxbee);"One sin? That's three Hail Marys then"(Chris Coupe);"Thank you Akela, but I still prefer the old fashioned Dyb dyb dyb, dob dob dob, to Ctrl+Alt+Del"(Graeme Hely);"Ich bin Mutti, du bist Papa"(Bill Bishop). Also:"C'mon, I bet that pectoral cross alone cost you €1000." "€300"(Gregory K. Cameron);"When Angela discovered Pope Francis's favourite TV game show was3-2-1, they hit it off immediately"(Russ Bravo);"The Trinity is, of course, tri-Angela"(John Appleby); and"Competence in digital communication is essential for a 21st-century pope"(from M. J. Leppard).

Our winner scored highly in the categories of observation and contemporary reference. He wins Fairtrade chocolate, generously donated by Divine (divinechocolate.com).