Of Prelates and PA systems

The Bishop of Carlisle (The Right Reverend James Newcombe) was in Whitehaven this morning for a confirmation at St James' Church.

There was a little difficulty at first with his microphone - e.g. when it should be on or off.

However, at least he managed to avoid either doing a Gordon Brown or repeating the urban legend of the bishop who was struggling to get his microphone to work. The story goes that after three attempts to get the mike to turn on, the bishop turned his chaplain and said

"There seems to be something wrong with this microphone."

Hearing him speak without being able to make out the words, and assuming that he had said the first words in the order of service, which were 'The Lord be with you,' the congregation of several hundred replied in unison with the next words from the order of service,

"And also with you."

As I say, happily we avoided that this morning.

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