Have a go at our next caption competition (above). Send entries by email only to captioncompetition@churchtimes.co.uk by 9 a.m., Monday 6 January.
We invite readers’ ideas for photos: please provide a credit and confirm that those pictured are happy for the photo to be used.
Here is the winning entry for the previous competition:
AlamyAlamy
Candidates for the post of Archbishop had to show they could cope with public ridicule (Brian Stevenson)
THE Shakespearean question that came to many readers’ minds was “Who is Sylvia?”
“OK, you’re not coming out till you tell us, who is Sylvia?” (Sue Chick); “The Vicar thought that rebranding himself as Sylvester might be less confusing than Sylvia” (Richard Hough); “Sylvia’s Christmas celebrations had been rather damp this year” (Michael Foster); “Fr Sylvia was prepared to accept any type of feedback when modelling the church’s latest fashion attire” (Paul MacDermott); “Who is Sylvia, who are they?” (John Radford).
Be careful what fun activities you sign up for:
“It’s the last time I agree to ‘help wherever I’m needed’” (Chris Coupe); “The Vicar participates in the annual re-enactment of the miracle of the flying sponge” (Geoffrey Robinson); “The Vicar was always considered to be a bit of a wet sponge” (Mervyn Cox); “Whatever sins Sylvia has committed, it looks like I’m the one who is going to pay for them” (Andrew Berry); “The Vicar regretted agreeing to clean up his act” (Valerie Ganne); “First prize in the raffle was a free stand at the local show. No wonder no further details were given” (Valerie Budd).
Some other entries that we enjoyed:
“As St Sylvia sang: ‘Anything you can do, Icon do better’” (Geoff Baguley); “Excuse me, DDO. Are you sure this is part of the selection process?” (Nick Baker); “TV star Spongebob Squarepants arrives to help raise church funds” (Ken Wilkinson); “I ain’t got no body” (Robert Shooter); “For being creative with diocesan stocks and shares, I’m facing my Watergate” (Julian Ashton); “Attendance at the annual fête of the Anti-Suffragette Union has dropped dramatically in recent years” (Don Manley); “‘Yes,’ said the church treasurer, ‘I would like to be involved in stocks and shares.’ The churchwardens will be next!” (Bill de Quick); “She excels each mortal thing Whom men would wet with spongy fling” (Don Manley); “Actually, it was Lily the Pink, and she wasn’t the saviour of the human race” (Martin Kettle); “As the sponge got nearer, the victim was worried about the liquid used as he posed as ‘The Spittle Mermaid’” (Philip Lickley).
As ever, the winner receives a prize of Fairtrade chocolate, courtesy of Divine Chocolate.
divinechocolate.com