Submitted Photo The remodeled sanctuary.

Eagles Wings Community Fellowship will celebrate Easter this year with an old tradition – baptism by immersion of believers. Young and old who have proclaimed their faith in Jesus Christ will be given new life.

“This Sunday we’re going to celebrate the resurrection of our savior,” said Hovde, but the church is also celebrating another milestone. It is the 15th anniversary of the first sermon preached in the church, which used to be the former Eagles Club in Minot.

And, as of March, it is completely debt free.

Hovde said the church leadership asked congregants to help pay off the church debt this year and the debt was paid off far more quickly than they had ever imagined.

The church has overcome a number of obstacles in its 15 year history, including the flood of 2011, which heavily damaged the church. Volunteers from a group called Men and Women of Action had helped remodel the church in 2004 when they were first starting out and the same group reached out and helped them restore the church aafter the flood.

Now the church is also beginning its own local group of Men and Women of Action and they will help in construction projects and disaster relief in the region of North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana.

The church also gives back to the community in other ways, including its Buy a Tree, Change a Life activity during the Christmas Season and Party by the Park, a party for the neighborhood that was held in June and included a coffee bar, barbecue contest, games, bounce houses and live music.

The church has a youth ministry and Eagles Wings is, as church elder Keith Cochrane described it in an email, “a vibrant church with contemporary worship, relevant, Biblical teaching and a passionate desire to lift up Christ and communicate His message to our community.”

“Even though we’re 15 years into it, we feel we’re just getting started,” said Hovde.