A Congregation at the Heart of Clymer
Set along Clymer-Sherman Road in the small Chautauqua County town of Clymer, New York, Abbe Reformed Church has built its identity around a simple motto: Grow in Faith, Serve in Love, Rejoice in Jesus. The congregation belongs to the Harvest Church Network of the Alliance of Reformed Churches, and its work stretches well beyond Sunday morning - from a Monday food pantry and a partnership with a school in Uganda to a long-running ministry of hand-tied prayer quilts. Pastor Jim Mimidis and his wife Tarella arrived in January 2026, and the church is now introducing them to the wider community.
What Sundays Look Like
Sunday morning worship takes place at 10:00 a.m. in a come-as-you-are atmosphere. The blended service weaves together the rich hymns of the faith with contemporary Christian music, and a scripture-based message runs through the center of it all. Visitors are encouraged to stay afterward for coffee and treats. For those who cannot attend in person, services are livestreamed on YouTube and broadcast on local cable channels 96.1 and 1301, and a sermon archive of past services is available on the same YouTube channel.
Children are warmly included. Abbe Kid's Church meets during the 10:00 a.m. service for kids ages 4 through 11, with Bible stories, Bible games, music, and snacks. Sunday School classes for all ages follow the service at 11:30 a.m., giving the morning a natural rhythm of worship and learning.
Pastor Jim Mimidis and a Long Pastoral Story
Pastor Jim brings more than two decades of pastoral experience to Abbe. He served his hometown church for twenty-four years and ran Bible studies in the local prison for five of those years. He and Tarella, who teaches voice and piano and directs choirs, have been married for over forty-three years and have three married children and five grandchildren. The couple enjoys hiking, biking, and exploring the outdoors, and they have described their move to Clymer as a new adventure in following the Lord together.
Beliefs, Mission, and Vision
Abbe Reformed Church frames its life around three phrases. The mission is to grow in faith, serve in love, and rejoice in Jesus. The vision is to be a family of new and seasoned believers pursuing Christ together and making Him known in the surrounding communities. The church envisions itself as a disciple-making congregation nurturing individuals from birth to the end of life, with growth through biblical teaching, children's events, youth group, small groups, and men's and women's ministries.
The leadership is shaped by a classic Reformed consistory. Elders are set apart for a ministry of watchful and responsible care: they oversee the welfare and order of the church, ensure the Word of God is rightly proclaimed and taught, and assist ministers with counsel, consolation, and encouragement. Deacons are set apart for mercy, service, and outreach, gathering and distributing gifts with wisdom and compassion, visiting the distressed, and assisting at services of worship.
The current consistory includes Elders Eric Heil, Esther Nickerson, Mark Honey, Mark Summers (Vice President), Renee TeCulver, and Adam Honey, and Deacons Breanna Summers, Willowe Neckers (General Treasurer), Dell Gates, Randy Wassink (Chair), Kelly White (Benevolent Treasurer), and Josh Summers.
Children and Students
Children are at the center of much of the church's ministry. Abbe Kid's Church runs every Sunday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. for ages 4 to 11, blending Bible stories, games, music, and snacks during the morning service.
Rooted and Grounded (R&G) Kids meets on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Based on Ephesians 3:17 - that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love - the program includes games, snacks, lessons, and fellowship. It follows the Clymer Central School schedule, and any child in the age range is welcome regardless of where they attend school.
Vacation Bible School fills a week each summer. The 2026 program, Rainforest Falls, runs Sunday through Thursday evenings, July 26 through 30, with the theme of being rooted in relationship with God.
Wee Care is the church's weekday preschool program for children of preschool age, meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays while following the Clymer Central School calendar. Its biblical curriculum helps young children learn social interaction and kindergarten preparation.
The Clymer Youth Group gathers students in grades 7 through 12 on Sunday evenings from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for dinner, games, fellowship, and conversation about God. The goal, as the church describes it, is to provide a place where youth can meet, hang out, and grow closer to Jesus and one another. Outings such as bowling nights, volunteering in the community, and other activities are added when interest calls for them.
Food, Faith, and a Weekly Hand Up
One of the most visible ministries in Clymer is the church's Food Pantry. Distribution takes place in the Fellowship Hall every Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (except holidays) and on the third Saturday of each month from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Anyone with an emergency need can leave a message at the church office, and the deacons will respond.
Abbe Reformed Church also opens its building to community health resources. A Chautauqua County Immunization Clinic is held on the second Wednesday of each month from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., offering free immunizations for individuals six months and older. In partnership with the county health department, the church also provides space for mammograms and monthly blood pressure screenings after the traditional worship service. A Medical Loan Closet, run through the Reach Ministry, lends medical equipment to those in need of temporary use.
Prayers and Squares: Quilts That Carry Prayer
One of the church's signature ministries is Prayers and Squares, a faith outreach that combines the gift of a hand-tied quilt with the gift of prayer. Handmade quilts are left intentionally untied. When a prayer request comes in, the need is spoken during morning worship; after worship, members pray for the person as they tie each knot. Every knot becomes a physical sign of prayer and presence. The church has given out more than 200 prayer quilts both locally and around the globe, and anyone can request a quilt through an online form. New helpers are always welcome, and no sewing experience is necessary - jobs run from ironing to sewing to packing and everything between.
Adult Ministries and Midweek Growth
Adults have several ways to grow alongside one another. A Wednesday Night Bible Study meets in the sanctuary at 6:15 p.m., walking through books of the Bible together; recent series have included a study of Galatians. Women's Ministries meets on the third Monday of each month from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to dive into scripture over afternoon coffee and tea, and all women are welcome. Hands for Christ gathers on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. for craft and sewing projects, conversation, and laughter. A Men's Prayer Breakfast takes place on a Saturday morning each fall, with a hearty breakfast and a time of prayer together.
Arise: A Monthly Contemporary Worship Night
For those who prefer a more modern style, Abbe Arise is a contemporary worship night held on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. The service includes scripture, a message, and live contemporary music, with the goal of being fed by the Holy Spirit in a relaxed setting. It complements the blended Sunday morning service and gives the congregation a second way to gather around preaching and praise during the week.
Reaching Beyond Clymer
Global mission is a stated priority of the congregation: a full third of the church's budget supports missionaries and other witnesses to Christ around the world. Current global partners include Chad and Dara Vanden Bosch, who serve in Mozambique; Felipe and Janelle deWaard-Silva, who serve in Romania; Jennifer Lucking, who serves in Toronto; and Linda Kitchen, who serves in Arizona. Closer to home, the church has a long-standing partnership with a school in Uganda.
Life on the Calendar
The rhythms of the year at Abbe include a number of seasonal and community touchpoints. In the fall, the church hosts a community Halloween Fun House during town trick-or-treating hours, transforming several rooms of the building into a place for families to walk through. In May, members host a booth at the Clymer Tulip Festival on Main Street, and in June the annual Yard Sale Day raises funds for outreach programs. A community pickleball tournament each spring supports The Camp at Findley ministry. During Advent, the church gathers for a Christmas Eve Candle Light Service with special music, traditional Christmas hymns, and a Christmas message, and hosts a Christmas Wreath Making night in early December. A community Vacation Bible School in the summer is open to children from across the area.
Getting in Touch and Joining In
First-time visitors will find a relaxed atmosphere and a congregation that values conversation over performance. Sunday worship is at 10:00 a.m., followed by Sunday School at 11:30 a.m. and coffee and treats. Children are welcomed into their own program during the service, and youth have a separate gathering later in the day. Parking is available on site, and the building is wheelchair accessible at the main entrances.
Anyone interested in getting involved can speak with the deacons, who help connect newcomers to ministries that fit. The church office can be reached at (716) 355-6336 or office@abbe.church, and a mailing list and contact form are available online. A building reservation can be arranged by calling the office. For those who want to follow along from a distance, services are livestreamed on YouTube and broadcast on local cable, and a sermon archive stretches back through the years on the same channel.
Abbe Reformed Church sees itself as a family of both new and seasoned believers, pursuing Christ together and making Him known in Clymer and beyond. Whether someone is meeting Jesus for the first time or has walked with Him for a lifetime, the congregation invites them to join in.