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 April.
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
Finally, a new church initiative that is not half-baked (Timothy Larsen)
A SELECTION of this week’s entries:
“After clearing his fridge of pies on Shrove Tuesday, the Vicar calculated that he had to eat one every hour before Lent” (Philip Lickley); “They were raising the pies in the Christian way” (Victoria Prince); “It was always difficult to decide who is the most pious is at these events” (Fiona Drinkell); “When you said ‘Judge not . . . but also entered the church bake-off” (Andrei Cornea); “The china cups hold tea and the plastic cups hold whisky” (Patrick Irwin); “The newly arranged partnership between the church and the local WI seemed to be going well” (Richard Hough); “Give us this day our daily pie . . . and pass the gravy” (Jennifer Starnes); “A bit crusty and bland. So much for the Vicar — now for the pork-pie competition” (Wendy Walker).
“Are you sure they wouldn’t prefer the loaves and fishes?” (Grant Walker); “The judging will be done in five, after which it’ll be out in the churchyard for Pie in the Sky” (Martin Kettle); “While God judges piety, we’ll judge the pies” (Jonathan Churm); “That’s a load of porkies” (Paul Lodge); “The health-and-safety policy was taken very seriously. Every item on the food stall had to be sampled” (Valerie Budd); “So much for churches only offering pie in the sky when you die!” (John Saxbee); “Judge that ye shall not be judged’ . . . but an exception had to be made for the British Pie Awards at Melton Mowbray!” (Eunice Parry); “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump in a misogynistic endeavour to pick a winner?” (Dev Nallathamby); “Solomon called for a sword to divide the pies in two, offering one half to each judge” (Jo Mash).
“He’s recording the different sizes on a pie chart” (Michael Doe); “I haven’t judged a show in Melton Mowbray before, but I’ll get pie with a little help from my friends” (Julian Ashton); “Just for once, you can rejoice if your porky pies are written in the book of judgement” (Paulette Yallop); “The men of the parish misunderstood the Vicar’s request for volunteers at the piety stall” (Caroline Doyle); “That’s the food all in order; have we got the 12 baskets for the fragments?” (Neil Inkley); “Declan wondered why his sardine, horseradish, and blancmange pie failed to impress the judges” (Nick Baker); “The RSCM brought in some experts to decide, once and for all, which ‘Pie Jesu’ was best” (Daniel Sandham); “No, the category isn’t ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’ — it’s ‘Greatest Pie Flavourness’” (Jack Percey); “St Saviour’s was well known for its savouries” (Brian Stevenson); “More humble pie, Vicar?” (Tim Leech);
As ever, the winner receives a prize of Fairtrade chocolate, courtesy of Divine Chocolate.
