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).

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