Are you a Methodist whose minister is a Calvinist?
Is the pastor thinking of taking out the pews?
Then you need to get rid of them as soon as possible. Why waste time sending emails to the bishop/superintendent/God? They're just too likely to talk about rules and process, act fairly, want evidence, delay things, or threaten to call the police on you.
But now, you can phone ClergyBusters! Simply phone the ClergyBusters! hotline, and then enter the following number to be directed to an expert in dealing with your specific clerical problem.....
01 | Has a beard |
02 | Carries a burning thurible at all times |
03 | Rings the bells in the early hours (not a euphemism) |
04 | Says "call me Chazza" |
05 | Keeps goats |
06 | Sabellian |
07 | Semi-Pelagian |
08 | Hemi-Demi-Semi-Pelagian |
09 | Removed the pews |
10 | Installed pews |
11 | Sleeps in the pews at night, because his wife has thrown him out for snoring. |
12 | Burnt the pews |
13 | Conducts exorcisms in the creche |
14 | Wears a onesie on day off |
15 | Wears a onesie at Mass |
16 | Wants to knock out the walls to form "a really exciting worship space" |
17 | Cancelled 6pm BCP, just because the last person attended in 1967 |
18 | Doesn't believe in God |
19 | Doesn't believe in the Bishop |
20 | Has a rottweiler called "Beelzebub" |
21 | Converts the box pews into a sauna |
22 | Likes Enya |
23 | Wants to be Enya |
24 | Loves the homeless |
25 | Moved the homeless into the church |
26 | Writes a blog |
27 | Writes a blog pretending to be a violent archdruid |
28 | Appears on "Gogglebox" |
29 | Appears on "Crimewatch" |
30 | Introduces liturgical dance |
31 | Introduces liturgical trance |
32 | Introduces liturgical garage |
33 | Wears a biretta |
34 | Rides a lambretta |
35 | Mostly eats zucchetta |
36 | Likes lace |
37 | Really likes lace |
38 | Can barely be seen for lace |
39 | Shoots the sparrow trapped in the belfry |
40 | Claims to be the god of hellfire |
41 | Paints a representation of their nightmares of the Last Judgement on the whitewashed church walls. Using highlighters. |
42 | Relentlessly quotes Jurgen Moltmann |
43 | Goes hunting |
44 | Goes shooting |
45 | Goes dogging |
46 | Replaces the ancient, noble language of the BCP with Common Worship |
47 | Replaces the ancient, noble language of the BCP with the Klingon Prayer Book |
48 | Believes in the imminent Second Coming |
49 | Believes s/he is the Second Coming |
50 | Juggles as a sermon illustration. At every Family Service |
51 | Converts the baptistry into a jacuzzi |
52 | Converts the baptistry into a ball pit |
53 | Introduces a bass guitarist into the music group |
54 | Introduces death metal into the music group |
55 | Tells the Church Wardens they'll be first up against the wall when the Revolution comes |
56 | Does puppet shows in the pulpit instead of Evensong |
57 | Wears tweed jacket and chinos |
58 | Laments the dearth of virgins in the village when May Eve is approaching |
59 | Introduces gestalt therapy instead of Confession |
60 | Builds an igloo from copies of the Methodist Hymn Book, climbs inside and claims to be a hermit |
61 | Doesn't answer the manse phone number within three rings, even at 3am when s/he is clearly at home |
62 | Seen in the pub |
63 | Gets tired after 16 hours days |
64 | Jacks the vicarage up on wheels and takes it on sabbatical |
65 | Says "it barely seems worth it" after the opening hymn and pronounces the final blessing |
66 | Puts up bunting when the Treasurer says she may call it a day after 47 years |
67 | Goes skinny-dipping in the pond on the village green |
68 | Claims vodka & orange is one of your five a day |
69 | Doesn't have a beard |
70 | Puts solar panels on the church roof. On the inside. |
71 | Changes the choristers' outfits to hi viz and puts UV lighting in the chancel |
72 | Throws hymn books at people who fall asleep during the sermon |
73 | Is a bit boring sometimes |
74 | Phones you up every night to check you've said both Daily Offices. If not, comes round to read them with you |
75 | Eats Creme Eggs in Lent |
76 | Eats Hot Cross Buns in Advent |
77 | Insists the opening Procession shuffle on their hands and knees because of "there's a sniper in the pulpit" |
78 | Plants wildflowers in the graveyard. Wildflowers that have mysterious stings, beat sticks against their boles, and wander around the place |
79 | Replaces the Lady's Bright Hour with a poker tournament |
80 | Is a woman |
81 | Bans fair-trade coffee on the grounds that "it only encourages them to be inefficient" |
82 | Declares war on the URC |
83 | Preaches long sermons |
84 | Rides the Archdeacon out of town on a rail |
85 | Explains theological mysteries through the medium of mime |
86 | Believes "Father is always right" |
87 | Reveals "Father" has been sitting, mummified, in the front room of the manse for 30 years |
88 | Makes the new curate wear a "Mr Blobby" outfit at all times |
89 | Talks to trees |
90 | Hugs trees |
91 | Claims that trees are her only friends |
92 | Bishops always go missing after confirmations |
93 | Sometimes misses whole days after baking "special cakes" |
94 | Lights the Advent candles in the wrong order |
95 | Wears Pink on the 4th Sunday in Lent |
96 | Calls local radio phone-ins claiming to be a lorry-driver called Ken |
97 | Meetings last too long |
98 | Punctuates sermons with illustrations in the form of Country & Western ballads |
99 | Replaces the KJV with the NIV |
00 | Replaces the KJV with the "Little Book of Calm" |
ClergyBusters! Moving the man or woman of God in your life, out of town fast.
Mmm - how do you get the table into the blog?
ReplyDeleteI have to confess, I was feeling lazy and I'm very bad at details like getting the numbers right.
DeleteSo I pasted it from E***l and then removed the fixed columns.
I'm sorry.
I'm a bad Archdruid.
We could use a goodly number of these in our next Parish Statement
ReplyDeleteIt must be the Full Moon affecting your creativity - you are batting sixer after sixer here
ReplyDeleteJust havin' fun.
DeleteI've always wondered how to get rid of a Vicar, and this gives me a good guide to give to the Vicar on what we'll be looking for. I'm taking this to my first PCC Meeting next week just to keep him/her/it on their toes.
ReplyDeletePhew, I got away with the plastic ducks in the baptistry... at least for now
ReplyDeleteWhat!!! There's a problem with plastic ducks????? !!
DeleteYou stopped just as you were getting into your stride.
ReplyDelete