Have a go at our next caption competition. Send entries by email only to captioncompetition@churchtimes.co.uk by 9 a.m., Monday 13 July

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: 

Wells CathedralWells Cathedral

Michael thought he was being asked to celebrate his emu, but discovered it was the MU he was to celebrate (Sue Chick)

A SELECTION of this week’s entries:

“We priests are definitely sitting ducks when it comes to discussing the necessary increase in the parish share” (Paul MacDermott); “I’m really very fed up with him putting words into my mouth!” (John Saxbee); “Orville was finding the hot spell quite unbearable: surely he was entitled to a mandatory cooling break?” (Roly Cobbett); “It is hoped that the new recruit’s arrival will help to shoulder the load!” (John Keeling); “Feathers, faith, and a whole lot of fun” (Mel Baxter); “Not all saints have halos. Some have feathers” (Deborah Clarke); “The Our Feather!” (Helga Brandt); “If you want a top shine and polish, I can highly recommend these new feather dusters” (Susan Shaw).

“The new movie Primates of the Caribbean sees them swap pirates for primates and parrots for phoenix” (Philip Lickley); “He hadn’t been aware of the alterations to liturgical seasons and colours recently introduced until the family gave him this cuddly toy” (Richard Hough); “The Revd Chris Tingle makes the most of his calling” (Don Manley); “A furry friend is surely preferable to a chip on one’s shoulder” (Julia Norman); “The ancient tradition of learning catechism parrot-fashion has suddenly gained new popularity!” (Jo Mash).

“So, who tweeted the service?” (Chris Coupe); “This was one way of not getting the cold shoulder” (Bill de Quick); “Not quite Noah’s Ark, but we’re making a colourful start” (Chaz Griffiths); “Vicar discovers the true meaning of ‘tweeting’” (Andrew Hindley); “Colourful chasuble and matching puppet, enhancing the ventriloquist’s message of Old Testament prophecy, relevant to the imagination of the young” (Dev Nallathamby); “Fr Bill had a coloured parrot to go with every liturgical season: for Trinity, it would be a green parakeet” (Brian Stevenson); “The Diocesan CMD study day on ventriloquism had been a great success” (Michael Foster). “The minister knew he’d be winging the sermon, knowing the Holy Spirit would write his notes in real time” (Caroline Doyle); “The Vicar thought they said ‘budget’ when he found himself ‘shouldering the parish budgie’” (Jonathan Jeffery); “The real miracle is getting through a service without being pecked” (Scott Humm).

As ever, the winner receives a prize of Fairtrade chocolate, courtesy of Divine Chocolate.

divinechocolate.com