His casual appearance gives it away.

Donned in a light sweatshirt, shorts and flop-flops, the laid back and charismatic pastor opened his arms and smiled as he welcomed a visitor in the hallway of his just-moved-in church.

Pastor Shawn naturally opens the door wide for all-comers.

“Like our sign says, ‘Come as you are,’ ” said Shawn DeOrnellis, while surveying his congregation’s spacious adopted home that rests off busy 8th Street Northeast in Auburn. “We’ve got a Bible believin’, preachin’ church.

“We just want to be a part of the community, a positive role model,” he said. “We’re excited about the possibilities.”

DeOrnellis’ crowd moved into the neighborhood just recently. And the good word, like his Sunday gospels, gradually is spreading.

The 43-year-old DeOrnellis, of Auburn, oversees Victory Fellowship, a relatively young and small congregation that inherited a familiar spot for Sunday worship. The church – a fundamentally evangelical Christian denomination of the Church of God (Holiness) – came to life at its new spot on June 15 when nearly 100 strong assembled for the first morning worship.

It is the start of a new chapter for a church on the move and willing to change – whether by name or location.

The Puget Sound Church of God (Holiness) was established 37 years ago in SeaTac. But the modestly successful church was forced to find a new home after the Washington State Department of Transportation bought its SeaTac property, along with its 4,400-square-foot facility, for $1.3 million for project purposes. The church originally bought the land in 1971 for just $76,000.

They regrouped, however, shopped and eventually fell into a suitable, more centralized location in Auburn. When the First Church of Christ Scientists decided to sell its property and building on 8th Street Northeast for $1.45 million, Victory Fellowship jumped at the opportunity. To complete the acquisition, the new group plans to make up the remaining $150,000 through internal financing.

The deal turned out to be a good one, the right fit at the right time. Victory Fellowship has a much larger facility than ever before, at 7,600 square feet.

The building actually is bit of a landmark. The sanctuary, formerly the Christian Science Building, was moved from downtown to the 8th Street lot in 1959. Other parts of the facility were added subsequently, from the early to mid ’60s.

“It’s where God wanted us – that’s the real definitive answer. But it just fell into our hands,” DeOrnellis said. “We felt we could make it happen financially … and many families happen to live here. We feel it’s a good location.

“We’re not a rich church by any means,” he added, “but we have the financial ability for the ministry.”

The congregation also decided upon a new name. Needing a shorter, more open and generic name, the church adopted the concise Victory Fellowship.

So far, the reviews have been good, and the surrounding community has welcomed the new owners.

“We are trying to be known in Auburn,” said Gladys Walsh, one of the church’s original members who continues to work closely with the congregation. “We’re introducing ourselves as new and different.

“We’re open to a very diverse group of people, no matter what walks of life,” she said. “We bring you with us. We’re a real good church.”

The church appeals especially to the younger set, including married couples, families and teens. About 85 percent of its members are under the age of 45, DeOrnellis estimates.

Victory Fellowship is committed to serving the physical and spiritual needs of the community, DeOrnellis said. The church offers several ministries and hopes to develop others. The congregation very much wants to be a part of the local food bank and other donation efforts.

Born in Missouri and raised primarily in Colorado, DeOrnellis has been a senior pastor for 15 years. He previously worked as a pastor in Oklahoma for eight years before becoming the seventh pastor of his current congregation seven years ago.

DeOrnellis, whose father was a minister, makes Auburn his home, along with his wife, Nancy, who works as a secretary at Valley Christian School. They have two daughters, Autumn and Ashley.

When he isn’t working at the church, DeOrnellis is the transportation director for Seattle Christian Schools, where he also has taught. He coaches sports and is a referee.

Most of all, the down-to-earth DeOrnellis enjoys people and wants to make a difference in their lives.

“I’m very transparent,” he admitted. “What I mean by that is I’m human, too. I have the same struggles as you do. I have the same frustrations.”

No matter the challenges, the message is clear.

“There is a God in heaven and He will help us if we turn to Him,” DeOrnellis said.

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WE’RE OPEN

• Church: Victory Fellowship

• Location: 610 8th St. NE, Auburn.

• Denomination: Fundamental, evangelical church, established in 1974.

• Services: 10:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Sundays.

• Ministries: Teens meet at 7 p.m. each Wednesday. Women’s group meets every third Thursday of the month, beginning in the fall.

• Phone: 253-939-5543.

Heavenly move for young congregation