Abbott United Methodist Church. The first Methodist worship service in Abbott was held in 1883 by the Rev. G. W. Swofford. A congregation soon was organized and became a regular stop on the Hillsboro circuit, with the Rev. J. P. Mussett as first pastor. By 1886 the congregation had more than 600 members. The first Methodist sanctuary, built in 1884, served until the current church building was completed in 1899. Although both the population of Abbott and membership in the church have declined since the 1940s, Abbott United Methodist Church retains important historic ties to the town's early heritage. (1984) #69