We’ve both been out of town on work for the last couple of weekends and it’s been quite a time. We would like to come into the presence of the Lord, to give thanks and reflect on what has happened.

So I drag myself out of bed after 09:00 on this Sunday morning (I really really want to sleep in, particularly since I blogged into the wee small hours last night), I shower quickly, drag on a clean pair of jeans and head for the car. We get to the local church of our denomination at 09:25 – no problem, worship doesn’t start until 09:30.

But wait! The car park is very full and there are no crowds mingling outside the main door. We get to the front door and hear the minister in full cry with his sermon. One of the important people in the congregation is standing at the front door of the church, and it looks like he’s the gate guardian this morning.

“What’s happened?” we ask. “Hurumph! Worship started at 9 today.” he replies. “But it says 09:30 on the sign-board and on the web-site” we say, “and there’s not even a sign taped to the front door saying that the time of worship has changed this week. So how are we expected to know?” “Everyone knows that it starts at 9 AM today. It was advertised.” says the important person. “Where, how?” we ask. “In last week’s newsletter.” says the IP. “But we weren’t here last week.” we say. “It has been recorded in the church council’s minutes for at least the last month.” he replies. “Feh! They’re kept in a file labelled ‘Miscellaneous correspondence’, which sits in the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet labelled ‘Coffee and biscuits’, which is in a store room that has a sign reading ‘Keep out, minister’s pet tiger snake inside’.” I say (with apologies to all Hitchhiker fans). “You should come every Sunday and keep yourself better informed.” says the unamused IP.

Well, it looks like we’re not going to get past him this morning.

So we turn around, go back to our car and go home. I don’t even feel like getting back into bed.

I wonder. Can I get them for false or misleading advertising? Unconscionable conduct? Anything in the Trade Practices Act covering this one? Fair Trading Act? Nah, probably not.

Grrrrrr.

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