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Caption competition

by
25 January 2013

REUTERS

AN Orthodox Christmas procession afforded readers the chance to display their knowledge of Eastern ceremonial, right down to the small boy on the phone: "No Oscar for Peter the Hermit, after the continuity girl missed young Wat's mobile phone" (Ray Morris); "The Young Apprentice winner couldn't wait to tell his mum how he managed to get Lord Sugar out on the church's annual parade" (Marcus Booth); and "The small boy had forgotten his fish and loaves, so he had to rely on a takeaway" (Chris Coupe).

There were various stabs at what he might be saying: "Hello, I'd like to order some frankincense and myrrh - to take away, please" (Lynda Sebbage); "I'll be a bit late home for lunch, Mum. I've just got a crusade to fight" (Richard Strudwick); "It's OK, Mum, the courts are cool about crosses these days" (John Saxbee); "Can you bring your satnav? There are a load of stars, but nobody knows which one to follow" (Sue Chick); and "Knowing that his mum was worried that following a star was a hazardous pursuit, he rang to reassure her that the Red Cross was in attendance" (Michael Foster).

Not all eyes were on the boy with the phone. Several thought they spotted the late Spike Milligan, including John Dean: "King Herod: my part in his downfall." Charles Taylor, too, concentrated on the figure on the right: "Lion-hearted he may have been, but Richard took no chances facing a free kick near his penalty area," and "After the long procession, there was a massive queue for the loo." We also had: "The Bishop chose to launch the newly approved 'Fresh Expressions' mitre when leading the winter pilgrimage" (John Hutchinson).

More generally, there was: "The crowd were obviously looking for a good knight out" (Chris Coupe); "There was chaos when someone shouted, 'Follow that star'" (Bill de Quick); "A few years ago, sights like these at the Church Times cricket final would have been unthinkable" (Don Manley); and "Herod's plan was to confuse the Magi with multiple stars" (John Appleby).

All these were good, but the editor has decided to jeopardise his warm relationship with our sponsors, Divine (divinechocolate.com), by selecting three winners, each of whom will be sent a supply of Fairtrade chocolate.

And Mum said, "Go and search diligently for Brian Cox; and when ye have found him, text me, that I may come and worship him also."   Richard Barnes

Phoning an agent before hearing Simon Cowell's verdict was a little optimistic of St George's Community Church, I felt. Vicky Lundberg

"It's Herod: what shall I tell him?"
"T-Mobile wants to know if it can share our transmitter."   Valerie Budd

 

Have a go at our next caption-competition picture (below). Entries must reach us by Friday 1 February.

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

 

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