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Hillsborough Presbyterian Church

Hillsborough Presbyterian Church, opened in December 1833.
Hillsborough Presbyterian Church, opened in December 1833.
Rev. John Davey Minister Rev. Kiran Young Wimberly Assistant Minister
Rev. John Daveyn Davey
Minister		 Rev. Kiran Young Wimberly
Assistant Minister
Rev. Dr. Jim Irvine Minister Emeritus Rev. Robert Larmour Minister for Pastoral Visitation.
Rev. Dr. Jim Irvine
Minister Emeritus		 Rev. Robert Larmour 
Minister for Pastoral Visitation.

Lisburn Road, Hillsborough.

Minister: Rev. John Davey

Telephone: 9268 3696

Minister Emeritus: Rev. Dr. Jim Irvine
Minister for Pastoral Visitation: Rev. Robert Larmour

Sunday services:

Morning: 10.30am

Evening: 6.30pm (second Sunday of each month

July and August 10.00am

Presbyterian Church in Ireland Website: 

www.presbyterianireland.org

Hillsborough Presbyterian Church Choir 2007
Hillsborough Presbyterian Church Choir 2007
Hillsborough Presbyterian Church Noticeboard

HISTORY

This congregation was erected by the Presbytery of Belfast in April 1832 and its first minister was Mr. Henry Jackson Dobbin (afterwards D.D.), son of the Rev. H. Dobbin of Lurgan.  Mr. Dobbin was ordained here on 18th September 1833.  On the 30th January 1837 he resigned this charge and removed to 1stBallymena.  He was succeeded by Mr. Samuel Marcus Dill (afterwards D.D.) formerly minister of Magherally, who was installed here on 3rd October 1837.  On 28th September 1853 Mr. Dill resigned this charge and removed to 1stBallymena.  He later became Moderator of the General Assembly (1860-61) and Professor of Theology at Magee College, Derry (1865-70).  He died on 11th May 1870.  Two distinguished sons were Rev. A. H. Dill (First Ballymoney) and Sir Samuel Dill, M.A., D.Litt., L.L.D.  He was succeeded in Hillsborough by Mr. Alexander Montgomery who was ordained here on 28th March 1854.  On 27th August 1854, only five months later, Mr. Montgomery resigned, accepting a call from Magherafelt.  He was followed by Mr. Robert Templeton who was installed on 27th March 1855 and resigned on 9th June 1857.


The Rev. Galbraith Hamilton Johnston, who had been ordained as a Chaplain to the Forces in the Crimean War, was then installed on 30th September 1857, and had a much longer stay.  In his thirty years he saw, among much else, the meeting-house renovated, a manse built and a teacher’s residence provided.  Two schoolhouses were also rebuilt.  He retired in September 1888 and was succeeded by Rev. Charles Donaldson on 19th December 1888.  He was called after three years to First Coleraine on 17th March 1891.


The next minister - the seventh - was Mr. William Charles Steele (lic. Route).  He was ordained on 9th September 1891.  He died suddenly on 5th October 1914 amid much sorrow in the congregation.  The Rev. Prof. W. I. Steele of Magee Theological College was his son. Mr. John Herbert Orr (lic. Belfast) was then ordained on 11th March 1915 and ministered for 47 years.  He, once again, saw the Church building renovated, a pipe organ installed in 1929 and additional rooms built in 1956.  Mr. Orr retired on 31stMarch 1962 and he died on 12th January 1963.


When Mr. Orr was succeeded by Rev. James Barr Irvine of Alexandra Church, Belfast, the fine J. H. Orr Memorial Hall was built in 1974.  Mr. Irvine was installed on 20th February 1963.  A gifted musician, he became a Lecturer in Homiletics in the Assembly’s College, Belfast, in 1978.  This post he held in addition to his pastorate in Hillsborough. Mr. Irvine retired in 1985 and is now the Minister Emeritus at Hillsborough.  For about 5 years (1989 to 1994) he was Pastoral Assistant at Railway Street Church, Lisburn. A new manse was purchased in 1964 and a hall (named in memory of the Rev. Herbert Orr) was opened in 1973. 

The present minister, the Rev. John Davey, previously in Raphoe and Ballindrait was installed in Hillsborough on 10th June 1986. 
On 1stNovember 1988 the Rev. Robert Larmour, Minister Emeritus of Magheragall was appointed Minister for Pastoral Visitation at
Hillsborough Presbyterian Church. Assistant Minister, the Rev Kiran Young Wimberly, commenced her ministry here on Sunday 25th February 2007.

Brief history as recorded in a book ‘Lisburn’s Rich Church Heritage’ by John Kelly

The church was built in 1832 and its first minister, Mr Henry Jackson Dobbin was ordained in 1833. During the ministry of the Rev Galbraith Hamilton Johnston the church was renovated, a manse built, a teacher’s residence provided and two schoolhouses rebuilt. During Mr John Herbert Orr’s ministry there were further renovations to the church, a pipe organ was installed in 1929 and additional rooms built in 1956. The Rev Dr James Irvine was installed in 1963 and during his ministry a new manse was purchased in 1964 and a hall, named in memory of the Rev Herbert Orr, was opened in 1973. Dr Irvine, a gifted musician, became Lecturer in Homiletics in Assembly’s College, Belfast in 1978 in addition to his pastorate in Hillsborough. He retired in 1985 and is now Minister Emeritus. The present minister, the Rev John Davey, was installed on 10th June 1986. The Rev Robert Larmour, Minister Emeritus of Magheragall was appointed Minister for Pastoral Visitation at Hillsborough in November 1988 and the Rev Kiran Young Wimberly was appointed Assistant Minister in February 2007.