ABBOT EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH

The long and very interesting history of the Abbot Evangelical Free Church begins with the account of the Abbot Congregational Church, organized in the lower village of Abbot Maine, with eight original members on February 2, 1841. A church building was erected as the first official meeting place in the village and dedicated on October 10, 1876. Then on October 30, 1918 there was a vote to incorporate with the State of Maine.

Participation and attendance for many years remained marginal, yet with the help of various interim and student ministers, the church continued to provide a place of worship for the community. By the mid-50's, however, interest seemed to have dropped even further. Nevertheless, a few in the church persisted in keeping the work alive.

In 1966 the Abbot Church made a decision to accept a proposal to join with the Monson Community Church and the United Church of Sangerville to form a three-church yoked parish, thereby making it possible to support a full-time pastor. The first minister to serve this larger parish remained until 1975. The three-church yoke itself continued until March 1984, when the Sangerville Church (now Grace Bible Church) was able to move out on its own in supporting a full-time pastor.

In September of 1975, under new pastoral leadership, the Abbot Church began to chart a significant new course toward a conservative evangelical ministry. The teaching and preaching were now based exclusively on Scripture. The congregation grew as individuals came to know, or recommitted their lives to, the Lord Jesus Christ. In spite of a rather intense period of adjustment, God greatly blessed the work.

There followed in November of 1981 a vote to terminate the local church's affiliation with the United Church of Christ (UCC). On June 9, 1983, a new constitution was adopted which more carefully articulated the new doctrinal and policy convictions of the congregation. A major new building addition with Sunday School rooms and a fellowship/dining hall was completed by 1983. For the first time in the history of the Church there was indoor plumbing and lavatory facilities.

The Abbot Evangelical Free Church was the only church or organized ministry in Abbot, a town with a population of approximately 450. The Church program and facilities were owned debt-free and governed by the local congregation. The Church continued a non-binding yoke with the Monson Community Church (8 miles North), with whom they shared a pastor, parsonage maintenance costs, and other sundry operating expenses.

In June 1986, in an indication of their desire to pursue the challenge and benefits of affiliation with a larger fellowship of believers, the Church membership voted overwhelmingly to seek affiliation with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA).

There followed a meeting between the Abbot Church and representatives of the New England District Association (NEDA) Board of Directors in Waterville, Maine. A number of important revisions in the Church constitution were suggested and subsequently approved by the congregation. Then in early January the Church's application was approved by the NEDA Board. A final, official and unanimous vote to receive the Abbot Church took place at the NEDA Annual Conference, March 4-6, 1987, in Portland, Maine. On March 5, 1987, the Abbot Congregational Church officially became the Abbot Evangelical Free Church.

The Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), formed in 1950, has a rich Swedish, Danish and Norwegian heritage. With a home office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the EFCA is an association of nearly 1500 churches nationwide, joined together by common purposes, principles and practices. There is a worldwide ministry of some 600 churches on 11 mission fields. On March 5, 1987, the Abbot Church became the sixth and northernmost Free Church in Maine, and the thirty-fifth Free Church in the New England District.

The term evangelical refers to the church's commitment to the Gospel (evangel) of Jesus Christ as set forth in the Holy, inerrant Scriptures. Free refers to the local, autonomous, congregational form of church government.

Practically, the EFCA offers Abbot Church an organizational and doctrinal anchor, as well as a tie with many resources beyond the scope or ability of a local church. Missions programs, guest speakers, periodicals and other educational materials, as well as outside, objective counsel and support from the NEDA District Superintendent are all part of what is available.

During the years 1986-88, the Church purchased a passenger van, installed night lighting on the steeple, completed work on the kitchen, library and pastor's study. A few further and significant revisions were made to the constitution. An extensively remodeled sanctuary and church interior were dedicated on March 6, 1988.

Numerically and spiritually the Church also continued to show many signs of growth. As a result, at the Church's annual business meeting in June, 1989, the congregation decided to study the feasibility of calling a full-time resident pastor to serve the Church for the first time ever. Acting on the results of the study, the membership voted unanimously on June 10, 1990, to appoint a Pastoral Search Committee to proceed with this action. The first full-time pastor, Rev. Don Baker, was called in May, 1991.

During 1995 the church underwent some major changes. After several months without a pastor the church called Rev. Ray Beless to be interim pastor and guide the leadership through transition. Pastor Ray became the bi-vocational pastor in June of 1996 and later fulltime pastor in the fall of 1999.

We consider the history and events included in this brief account, to be a real indication of the positive directions that the Abbot Church has pursued, and God's hand of blessing on the work, especially in more recent years.

This history was compiled and written by Daryl Witmer who was Pastor of the AEFC from 1975-1991.