Our Story
We are a church plant that was launched on September 18, 2016! It began out of a vision that states local communities deserve local churches with local pastors. In line with this vision, Celebrate Community Church of Canton launched.
We are a church plant that was launched on September 18, 2016! It began out of a vision that states local communities deserve local churches with local pastors. In line with this vision, Celebrate Community Church of Canton launched.
Pastor Sheldon Hovaldt
Sheldon Hovaldt was born in Gettysburg, SD in 1967, to Dale and Marcia Hovaldt. His family moved to Sioux Falls for a few years, where Sheldon started school. However, they moved to the small town of Davis, and went to school in Hurley, SD. His family was usually in church on Sundays, yet they were not necessarily in Christ. They claimed Christianity, but did not necessarily follow Christs example. His father and mother did the best they could do with six boys, in a small town, with his parents traveling to Sioux Falls for work five to six days a week. He enjoyed football in high school, and spending time with his friends trying to make them laugh. Sheldon went to Vo-Tech school at Northwest Iowa Technical College, in Sheldon, Iowa, where he received a diploma in Carpentry.
Sheldon walked away from church in all forms for several years, mostly because of his belief that there were more hypocrites in church, then there were outside of the church. Sheldon spent some years running from God and what ended up being Gods plan for him. In 1992, God introduced Sheldon to JoLynn and her two daughters. They went to church nearly every week, and Sheldon started going with them. In 1994, Sheldon and Jo were married and instantly became a family of four.
It was not until 2012 that God would start telling him, “I want you to do more for my church!” After denying this call for about two years, Sheldon finally gave in to what God was calling him to do: become a pastor. He started going to college online at Indiana Wesleyan University, and finished his licensure journey in early 2018. Sheldon is working towards his ordination currently. Sheldon accepted the pastorate at Celebrate Community Church in Canton, SD on December 1st, 2017. He replaced Pastor Brian Loy, after Brian was called to Oneill, NE. Sheldon and Jo sold their home of 27 years in Sioux Falls, where Sheldon still works four days a week until the church grows enough to support a full-time pastors salary, and bought a home in Canton. Sheldon is honored and privileged to be able to start his Journey in ministry, with a church which is starting its Journey in ministry as well!! His story is not the traditional pastors story, and he is not a traditional pastor. However, his story allows Sheldon to reach people that others cannot reach, understand things others cannot understand, and love people as he is loved by God! To God be the glory!!
