Hobart’s oldest church is getting a new life, thanks to Felix Perry.
Felix Perry in recent years has been to a Christ Scientist church turned Orthodox and a Nazarene church. Since 2024 he’s been working on the former Augustana building on Lillian Street. He’s not switching religions; he’s flipping churches into private homes.
The director of support services for the School City of Hobart, Perry has been working on churches for about 10 years.
As he sees it, “These are good old buildings that need to be preserved and repurposed.”
Today, Perry and his wife Kelsey live in the former Nazarene church near downtown, though the couple has lived in both restored church buildings.
“I’ve always done construction and rehabs,” Perry explained. “I’ve always liked the openness of churches. When these became available, I got to work.”
Perry hopes the Augustana project will be completed in 2026. Remaining work includes the interior. A one-man crew, Parry works weekends and evenings on the project.
The building, which was about to topple onto the next-door former parsonage, is now stable. The former pastor’s home is today a private residence.
“I like bringing buildings back to life,” Perry said, “buildings that may be in disrepair or destined to be demolished.”
According to homedesignlover.com, warehouses, barns, offices, and churches can be used as homes with beautiful interiors and exteriors. Homeowners are seeking old churches, the website states, “because aside from being sturdy, they have high ceilings and have a huge dose of history.”
The first church erected in Hobart, Augustana was dedicated in 1874, with a basement added in 1921. The church building, which survived two fires, was sold by the Lutherans in 1956, as Augustana moved into a larger facility with a parking lot along Hickey Street.
The former church did not have a nearby parking lot, Perry noted, as it was built at a time when people lived within walking distance of their faith community.
As with old buildings in general, churches pose some challenges, Perry noted.
“There’s almost never any plumbing or restrooms,” he said. “You also have to put in a kitchen and bath. Also, there’s heating and air conditioning work to be done because of the church’s openness.”
Including purchase price, Perry estimates he will have invested around $200,000 in this latest project.
What’s neat about churches, Perry said, “is the way they were constructed, usually different from homes.” He likes the “openness and high ceilings” of vintage church structures.
Hobart’s oldest congregation, Augustana was founded to serve the Swedish Lutheran community. Its original name was the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hobart. Swedish immigrants were drawn to the area for the rich farmland and jobs in the brick works.
Work began on the church building in 1869 at a cost of $1,100. Augustana purchased its first church bell in 1874.
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