Canton United Methodist Church

Scripture: Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Series: Loving Large It's not too often that we read from the Song of Solomon during worship, but it's message about love is too important for us to miss. The author of the Song of Solomon wants us to know that this type of love is possible, and the reason why we know it's possible is because God loves us like this. God's love lifts us up to see ourselves and our w...

Eric and Pastor Clay met up to discuss last week's message about putting our love into action and also dove one more time into United Methodist history. How did we get here and how does it help us know where to go from here? Connect with the Canton UMC!

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-12 Series: The 5 Marks of a United Methodist As we reach the end of this message series, we circle back almost to the start. Jesus said that the two greatest commands were to love God and love others. We explored our love of God, and out of that love grows our love for others. Showing God's love is the best way to tell others about who God is.  Connect with the Canton UMC!

Pastor Clay and Eric are back after sick kids and weird work schedules to dig into our sermon series on the Five Marks of United Methodism. During their conversation, they cover prayer - which was the topic of last week's sermon - as well as the rationale behind this series. They also discuss some of the distinctives of the United Methodist church. What do you love about your church denomination?...

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Series: The 5 Marks of a United Methodist When we hear the call to "pray without ceasing," we can end up confused or so sure that such a task is impossible that we simply lay it aside. But we can't afford to do that. Prayer matters simply too much. Drawing on the teaching of John Wesley, Pastor Clay helps us think about what it means to have our hearts lifted to...

Scripture: Philippians 4:12-20 Message Series: The 5 Marks of United Methodism Hearing a message about giving thanks to God does not feel all that challenging... until you remember that the Apostle Paul challenged the Philippians to give thanks in every circumstance. Some times in life are harder than others, but what Paul learned and shared is that these times are manageable because Christ is wit...

Welcome back to a more normal-ish episode of the Cut for Time Podcast! As we begin a new message series at the church, Pastor Clay walks through some of the reasoning and rationale for why this series is up first in 2025 and then lays a foundation in the history of John Wesley, the Methodist Movement, and the United Methodist Church. How does this foundation help us build our faith today? Connect...

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 Series: The 5 Marks of a United Methodist We continue our look at our identifying factors as we look at the joy of the Lord. God's people heard a reading of God's word and were moved to tears. Nehemiah and Ezra invited the people feast and celebrate God's goodness. When we gather for worship or spend time with God, do we experience this type of whole-hearted jo...

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40 Series: The 5 Marks of a United Methodist As we embrace this new year as God's gift to us, it is important for us to have clarity about who we are as United Methodists. All the way back at the start of the Methodist movement, our founder John Wesley claimed that there are five distinguishing marks of a Methodist. The first one is that we love God. While that may seem ve...

The panel is back one more time to think back on Christmas Eve and the importance of the Incarnation. God took on flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus. Why is this so important to our faith during Christmas and even beyond? Guests on the Podcast: Rev. Stephanie Schneider: Village Baptist & First Baptist, Glens Falls & Ft. Edward, NY Rev. Peggy Hanson: Madison UMC, Madison SD Rev. Teresa Whets...

Pastor Clay and his friends are back for the 4th Week of Advent to discuss what some of the touchstones of the holidays are for them. This goes with our week on touch and feeling, so what are some of the touchstones and traditions that make it feel like Christmas? Guests on the Podcast: Rev. Stephanie Schneider: Village Baptist & First Baptist, Glens Falls & Ft. Edward, NY Rev. Peggy Hanso...

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 Series: Experiencing Christmas Christ is born! Let us celebrate. In the fullness of God's time, God let us all in on a surprise that was centuries in the making. With all of our senses, we now know what God was up to this entire time. The birth of Christ is good news that we get to share with everyone around us! Merry Christmas! Connect with the Canton UMC!

Scripture: Luke 2:25-35 Series: Experiencing Christmas Whether it is the itchy Christmas program costumes or a special decoration, our sense of touch is just as activated during the season as the rest of our senses. Jesus was touched during his life and touched many people, even people that the world would not touch. As we finish out the Advent season, may we think of the times that Jesus touched...

The panel is back to discuss another one of our senses as it relates to Advent and Christmas. One of the most amazing parts of this season is the special meals and treats we get to enjoy along with the special people around us. We hope you enjoy all these stories. What treat lets you know that the season is truly here? Guests on the Podcast: Rev. Stephanie Schneider: Village Baptist & First Ba...

Scripture: Psalm 34:1-10 Series: Experiencing Christmas Thus far in our journey through the senses, we have noted how the sights and the sounds of the season point us to Jesus. But this is also a season that features special meals and treats that convey deep memories for us. How can the things we eat and enjoy this season help us to "taste and see that God is good?" Connect with the Canton UMC!

Welcome back to the Cut for Time Podcast at the Canton United Methodist Church. As we continue our sermon series focused on how our sensory experiences focus us on the birth of Christ, we turn to our sense of hearing. This week, you'll hear from Pastor Clay and his panel about their favorite Christmas songs. Guests on the Podcast: Rev. Stephanie Schneider: Village Baptist & First Baptist, Glen...

Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-4, 9-10 Series: Experiencing Christmas It is impossible to separate the sounds from the season. There are just songs we must sing in order for it to truly be Advent/Christmas. But Isaiah is not trying to create the perfect holiday movie moment with familiar songs. Isaiah challenges the people to sing new songs because through a servant God would raise up, God is doing someth...

Welcome to the Season of Advent at the Canton UMC! Advent is a season of the senses, and our sermon series is focused on how our sensory experiences focus us on the birth of Christ. This week you'll be introduced to several of Pastor Clay's friends and ministry colleagues who will all share an experience of Christmas sights that is impactful for them. Guests on the Podcast: Rev. Stephanie Schneide...

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:12-18 Series: Experiencing Christmas Advent is a season of the senses where God is up to something different. As we explore Advent through how we experience it with our senses, we take a look at the way the sights of the season proclaim the truth of what Jesus' birth means.  Connect with the Canton UMC!

Scripture: Revelation 1:4-8 Today is Christ the King Sunday, a day for us to pause and remember all that Jesus' life and leadership means for us today. At the very start of Revelation, John re-introduces Jesus to his readers because the world that they were living in had much uncertainty. As we face uncertainty, Jesus becomes an anchor for us. How can we introduce and re-introduce Jesus to those a...

Pastor Clay and Eric are back together for an episode of the Cut for Time Podcast! In this episode, they talk about all the time we have spent talking about prayer this year, yet this sermon was so different as we focused on concept and not content. Prayer was a priority for the early church and should remain a priority for us. How can you prioritize prayer today? Connect with the Canton UMC!

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47 & Matthew 5:6-8 Series: Devoted As we explore the final element to which the early church devoted itself, we are reminded of how important and powerful prayer is. While prayer may just seem like something we might do before meals or something we do when we have no other idea what to do, the early church saw it as essential. It was the first thing they did, not a last re...

At the end of his message on Sunday, Pastor Clay told a story about a Koinonia Group that started at Sioux Falls Seminary and has endured for ten years. This meant that he got to sit down with a dear friend of his from seminary, Rev. Stephanie Schneider, to talk about the group, their seminary experiences, and the elements that make for true koinonia. Connect with the Canton UMC!

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47 & Hebrews 10:23-25 Series: Devoted There is a challenge of preaching about the importance of community to people who show up to church (or listen to a sermon podcast), but as we explore the Acts 2 church, it is impossible to ignore just how often and in how many places they were together. And it is impossible to ignore all that they were able to accomplish together. How...

Eric and Pastor Clay are back to discuss our Devoted series and the practice of Communion. Both of them will share a time when "Jesus happened" to them during communion and explore the history, theology, and background of our practice of communion. When has communion been meaningful for you? Connect with the Canton UMC!