ENDICOTT, N.Y. (WENY) -- On Sunday evening, the Cornell Chimemasters hosted a 'Farewell Concert' because the First United Methodist Church in Endicott will be closing. The event came as a surprise to five students in the Chimemasters Club who were on their way back from a weekend of playing and learning about the chimes in Philadelphia and Princeton.

"This is a surprising and unique opportunity for five of our student Chimemasters to experience an entirely different historic instrument from our bells in McGraw Tower on the Cornell Campus,” said Chimes Advisor Jennifer Lory-Moran, in a written statement.

The Cornell Chimemasters are a group of students who ring the bells on campus three times a day, seven days a week, during the school year.

The Chimemasters Club was contacted by Jim Mead, the owner of Mead and Sons Auctioneers, who was selected to dispose of any salvageable items in the church.

When Mead went through the church, he noticed the chimes and how they were still in good condition. He was happy to find out the chimes were played every Sunday which made him think about the history behind the instrument.

"I contacted the Chimemasters at Cornell because I happen to be a Cornell grad and they’re the only people I knew of who might know something. When it came to light that a carload of Chimemasters would be driving by on Sunday evening, the opportunity was obvious," said Mead in a written statement.

Elisabeth Wang was one of the students who participated in the 'Farewell Concert' and she said it was an unexpected surprise to be asked to ring the church's bells.

"We're sad that the church is going to be closed, but we were really excited to have this opportunity to play and that it worked out at the end of our road trip," said Wang.

The First United Methodist Church in Endicott will have a final Sunday Service on February 26th. The church will close its doors for good on February 28th.

For now, while Mead may be cleaning stuff out of the church, he said the chimes won't be going anywhere.