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Phillip Elliott (right) pictured
after playing in the New Year on the three-manual
Snetzler organ. Included are L to R: Angela
Ballentine (Rector�s Churchwarden), Elizabeth Bell
(People�s Churchwarden), Kenny Dougherty (Sexton),
the Very Rev John Dinnen (Rector) and the Right Rev
Harold Miller (Bishop of Down & Dromore).
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Pictured with the Rector and Bishop are the
Hillsborough Parish Bellringers who rang in the New
Year at the beautiful historic Parish Church of St
Malachy. L to R: (seated) Gary Patterson, Harry
Shortt, Alistair Jameson and Louie Patterson. (back
row) Ian Stanfield, Edmund White, The Right Rev
Harold Miller (Bishop of Down & Dromore), the Very
Rev John Dinnen (Rector), Lauren Wilson, Daryl
Jameson and 14 year old, Jonathan Houston. |
Ian
Stanfield rang out the strokes of midnight and was then joined
by eight other prize-winning Hillsborough Parish Bellringers,
including 14 year old, Jonathan Houston, as they rang in the New
Year, 2008, from the bell tower of the Parish Church of St
Malachy.
As the bells rang, the interior of this beautiful historic
church resounded as Phillip Elliott presided at the three-manual
Snetzler organ displaying his musical talents for the last time
at Hillsborough as he brought in the New Year playing the
chorale prelude, �In dir ist Freude� (In thee is gladness), by J
S Bach. Phillip, who became organist of the Parish Church of St
Malachy, Hillsborough in August 1999, is moving to Ballydougan
(near Gilford) and from January the family will be worshipping
at Newmills Presbyterian Church. In addition to his role as
organist at Hillsborough, Phillip has been Head of Music at
Hunterhouse College since September 2001.
The Watchnight Service marked a double blow and an important
milestone in the history of the congregation as in addition to
marking the departure of their talented organist of 8 years,
Phillip Elliott, it also marked the retirement of their rector
of 23 years, former Dean of Down, the Very Rev John Dinnen, who
was instituted at Hillsborough in February 1984.
Mr Dinnen welcomed the large congregation and visitors, which
included Lord Eames and the Right Rev Harold Miller, Bishop of
Down & Dromore. The appropriate congregational hymns of praise
and thanksgiving were �God, we praise you� and �To God be the
glory�. In an emotional farewell sermon based on Romans 8, Mr
Dinnen spoke of people�s expectations at the turn of the year as
they long for better things and explained that if we invite
Jesus to live in our heart, He would give us immeasurable
riches. Prior to the ringing and playing in of the New Year Mr
Dinnen said that the ringing of the bells mark good news and
explained that the �good news is Jesus Christ� and that �this
was the great news that he wanted to share on this last day of
2007 and for the New Year 2008�. When you hear the bells he said
�be thrilled, be excited, bring all you have, all you are and
all you want to be and He, who did not spare his own Son, will
freely give you all things. All you need for tomorrow and
tomorrow and tomorrow and nothing now or in the future will ever
separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord�
01/01/2008
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