Have a go at our next caption competition (above). Send entries by email only to captioncompetition@churchtimes.co.uk by 9 a.m, Monday 7 October.
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:
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“You might find a church that still uses the Prayer Book, if you walk in that direction,” she attempted to reassure him (Philip Deane)
IT IS rare that a previous caption competition inspires entries for the next one — and the caption-competition editor would be lying if he said that it had been intended:
“You may find it hard to believe this, Sir, but I am told the Dean and Sub-Dean of Bristol Cathedral are in it [2 August]. They took off from Bristol a fortnight ago and were carried north by a strong air current” (Colin Cockshaw); “‘Is it the Second Coming?’ ‘No, it’s the balloonists from the previous competition trying to land” (Valerie Budd); “Yes, Sir, it is the Dean ascending” (Keith Joseph).
On second thoughts, perhaps it is the Queen they’ve spotted:
“Is that Camilla going up in the hot-air balloon?” (Brian Stevenson); “Isn’t that Camilla being taken for a ride?” (Eunice Owens); “‘Ah, yes’, King Charles said, as they both spotted the entrance of Queen Camilla, “and arriving in style just like the Queen of Sheba” (Lesley Cope).
Or a senior cleric:
“Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a flying bishop!” (Nick Baker); “Is that chap up there landing to see you? No chance, Your Majesty, he’s a flying bishop” (David Clark); “The game of ‘First to spot the bishop’ had to be declared a draw” (Michael Foster); “So, that’s the next Archbishop of Canterbury, is it?” (Peter Walker); “Yes, Your Majesty, the Bishop is the one in purple coming out of the pub” (Michael Watts); “Oh look, Sir! The Bishop has fallen off his mount, and the Rural Dean has won the donkey derby” (Jeannie Chamberlain)
Royal advice always gratefully received:
“The Sovereign always liked to point the Church in the right direction” (Fiona Drinkell); “The Church and State are united — and there’s a couple of pointers for you!” (Mark Parry).
Some other entries that we enjoyed:
“He much preferred sharing the Peace by touching finger tips” (Michael Doe); “Yes, that’s the tree I climbed when cornered by a stag on my tenth birthday” (John Appleby); “I plan to re-wild the formal borders on the approach road to the estate and start as I mean to go on!” (Daphne Foster); “I am not sure that it was a good idea to have the Red Arrows fly over a gannet breeding ground” (Patrick Irwin); “Yes, lunch is served over there” (Chris Coupe); “The priest points King Charles towards the Bishop and the other characters assembled for live-action chess” (Philip Lickley); “Thank you, but when I said Sandringham needed painting, I was actually referring to the brickwork” (Ray Morris); “Just one more point and they’ll be eligible for the Festival of Preaching” (John Saxbee).
”Follow the ‘royal method’: point a finger at something (anything!), look interested, and smile — works every time!” (Alison Parry); “Challenging His Majesty to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors wasn’t really the point of the day” (Pearl Davison); “Vicar helps bishop find some lost sheep” (Barry Osborne); “Who let the corgis loose?” (Richard Strudwick); “The King was not very comfortable with the hymns with actions, but he had a go” (Vicky Deasley); “What, that carbuncle?” was the King’s response when the new extension of the local parish church near Highgrove was proudly pointed out to him for the first time” (Paul MacDermott); “Look, there’s Harry, and he’s not moaning to the media” (John Mair).
“Is this the Trooping the Colour or the General Synod assembling?” (Richard Hough); “Quite true, Your Majesty — the Spirit certainly bloweth where it listeth — but I think it’s more likely heading back to the sexton’s dovecote. Look, there goes another one” (Jenny Veasey); “The healing streams are over there. Just avoid the sewage outflow pipe to the right when it’s been raining. The output is only 90 per cent organic, Your Majesty” (Steve Davies); “See those people pointing at us? Don’t they know it’s rude to point?” (John Thackray).
As ever, the winner receives a prize of Fairtrade chocolate, courtesy of Divine Chocolate.
divinechocolate.com