'We have a home': House on Fire church moves into new permanent location
The church was riddled with issues within its wilting structure and it had become a safety concern.
Since that sale and the church's subsequent demolition, those who made up House on Fire Church have had to find alternative ways to hold services and Bible study.
"We called it tabernacling," said Pastor Robin Moe, who along with her husband Pastor Rick Moe lead House on Fire, formerly Living Bible Church. "It's for the Israelites when God brought them out of Egypt into the desert led by cloud and fire. They just went wherever God led them. That's what we were saying. Wherever God leads us this week or the next week, we're just following God's lead."
The path has now led them home as the church has settled into their new location at 510 Second Street NW, behind the Hormel Historic Home.
"It was a journey," Rick said. "When you think about a church that used one location for 53 years, didn't have to go anywhere else to do anything and then go to where we are now. It was quite an 18 months."
There was no question that House on Fire had to relocate. Parts of the original church were over 100 years old and the main body of the church standing at the end was a crumbling infrastructure with damaged walls, floors and a hole in the ceiling.
However, after it was sold, House on Fire was left without a central location, requiring them to find places where they could hold services, which included Todd Park, the Ruby Rupner Auditorium at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center and other churches.
In all, Rick said they held services in 21 locations across those 18 months while looking at hundreds of possible locations to set permanent stakes, which came down to their current location that only came on the congregation's radar after holding services at the old Mayer Funeral Home across the street.
"We decided we didn't want to lease and threw them an offer," Rick said. "They accepted our offer and it took us 80 days from when we bought it to when it was looking like this. We've been here for six weeks now. Loving it."
Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, the building served as a testing site for Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin as well as serving other Mayo needs before that.
It was a building in good condition that didn't require that much work to turn it into the church's new home. Ten of the rooms were reconstructed and turned into the sanctuary, which can hold around 100 people.
"It's really nice to have a permanent location now so people know where we are," Robin said. "It's really nice to have everything in one location now because it was spread out to five places."
One of the important things the church was looking for when trying to establish a site was that it would be just one level to better accommodate all of those in the congregation. Add in that it's a downtown location further establishes it as an ideal spot for House on Fire's new location.
Through it all, the Moes and the church itself has maintained their desire to serve the community in whatever way they can, including bringing their message to the streets on Wednesday nights.
At their new home, they are seeking to become a place of comfort and welcoming.
"I would love to come to be known as Austin's largest living room," Rick said, pointing out the couches located in the sanctuary. "Just make it feel like you're coming and sitting in somebody's living room and still have the music, still have the message. We're really happy with where we are."
Robin agreed.
"Everyone that comes in says it feels good," she said. "The blessing was we didn't have to do a building fund. From the sale of the building, God has provided everything."
And yet, the pastors say there is more to do, but for the time being they are ready to bring the word to the people.
"There's always things we can do, but we're locked and loaded right now," Rick said. "We're ramping up to a grand opening for us, which will start this coming Sunday, Palm Sunday and will go on for 10 days where we'll have special meetings going on for some."
"We have a home," he added.
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