Submitted Photo Vehicles fill the fueling bay at Enerbase’s Cenex station on Broadway March 1 as Minot’s Southside Church of the Nazarene sponsored discounted gasoline, bringing the price to $2.34 a gallon.

The congregation at Minot’s Southside Church of the Nazarene kicked off the church’s 75th anniversary year on March 1 by giving motorists a 75-cent break at the gas pump.

“Our people just had fun being a blessing,” said Pastor Scott Mehlhoff, who explained “Blessed to be a Blessing” is the theme for the anniversary celebration that will extend through this year.

Enerbase’s Cenex station on South Broadway sold 6,500 gallons of discounted gas to more than 400 motorists during the five hour event, he said. Church members were on hand to share information on what the event was about and pray with people who took up the offer to share their concerns.

The church also will be offering half-priced tickets to attend a Minot Hot Tots baseball game in July as part of blessing its community.

Other future celebration events to which the public is invited are:

– Sunday, May 18, worship service and anniversary celebration at 10:30 a.m. at the church, which will include dedication of a building addition.

– Sunday, July 6, picnic at the church at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks.

– Sunday, Sept. 28, performance by Adams Voices, Southern Gospel recording artists from Nashbille, at 10:30 a.m. at the church at 2220 24th Ave. SE.

The church’s story began in the summer of 1950 with a tent meeting sponsored by the District Home Mission. The Rev. George Fitch organized the new church, which called Laura Meyer as its first pastor in September 1950. The earliest services were in a basement constructed for the church at 1400 5th St. SW. The church erected a building over the basement in 1951. Both the church building and a parsonage were structures moved from Van Hook. Building dedication took place that October.

That building went to serve another church congregation when the Nazarene church moved in 1981 to its new building constructed on two acres purchased in southeast Minot in 1977. Ground was broken in July 1979 for a parsonage and for the new church in May 1980. The first Sunday service in the new church occurred on Sept. 6, 1981.

Final completion allowed for a church dedication ceremony on March 28, 1982. The church building was upgraded to a brick exterior in 2004, when a remodeling and addition project occurred.

In 2020, the church was gifted the former Remax building in northwest Minot. It was moved to the southside location, where the renovated structure now serves as a church addition. The new fellowship hall, offices and children’s area will be dedicated at the May 18 service.