Tell Me Another

An atmosphere of nigh-hysterical hilarity prevailed at our Deanery Chapter meeting on Wednesday. Our curate Marion's account of the Pet Service we had last Sunday led to repeated references to animal-related news from our colleagues around the area, and I was able to point another vicar whose church is plagued by bats to the service of Cursing Against Pests and Vermin contained in the 1962 Rituale Romanum. The Rural Dean announced that Rural Deans are to be retitled because our new bishop has trouble pronouncing the letter 'R'. The vicar of Ashlake recounted how one member of the PCC is threatening to leave the church over the establishment of a Mens' Group. Apparently she put her name on the list of those who might be interested in attending, only to have it crossed out by some unknown person who inscribed the words 'MEN ONLY' next to the erasure, all in green crayon. We agreed that all church members should be issued with green crayons for just such emergencies. Had I not fallen off my bicycle on the way to the meeting I might have quite enjoyed it.