It's Unofficial!

I am in receipt of the Hong Kong Bar Association circular number 113/12, sent by one Frederick Chan "to all members and associate members".

Aside from the adoption of American spelling when referring to an award to the "Honorable" Justice Bokhary (my copy of the Oxford dictionary clearly refers to this as the American version of "honourable" - when did the Bar change over, and was it covered by a circular?), I am intrigued by the announcement of a "joint" and "unofficial" religious service which will be organised "as with (sic) previous years" to mark the opening of the legal year 2103 2013.

The jointness remains unexplained (with whom is the service being jointly organised?) as does the phenomenon of an unofficial service being announced officially, to wit under cover of an official Bar Association circular. And despite the circular being addressed to all members and associate members, only full members, albeit all of them, are invited to the unofficial service. Why are associate members being advised of the service only to be told that they are not invited? So many questions - so little time.