Heart of the Beast Theater, well known in the Twin Cities for its giant puppets and street theater, will become the temporary home for Sunday services for members of the Walker Community United Methodist Church of south Minneapolis, which was destroyed by fire on Sunday night.

While the theater might seem an unusual setting for conventional churches, Walker is not a typical church with its close ties to community groups, activist organizations and arts community. Heart of the Beast was founded at Walker in 1973 and had its original offices in the church's basement.

"Many of the members are familiar with Heart of the Beast, and it feels a little like home," said Allyson Hayward, who chairs the Walker church council. Walker had been turned into something of a theater itself years ago, pulling out a pipe organ and creating a stage, she said.

Rev. Walter Lockhart, Walker's minister will preside at the service at 10 a.m. on Sunday at Heart of the Beast, 1500 E. Lake St. Services will continue there on Sundays at least through July 8, said Hayward. The theater seats about 250.

Sandy Spieler, Heart of the Beast's artistic director and one of the theater's founders, said Walker parish members will see some big puppets, which are under construction, in the theater lobby.

Spieler, who is also a member of the Walker Church, said it was a natural idea to allow Walker to use its facilities. "That space [Walker Church] cradled our beginnings," she said. She said she stood at the church site, watching the fire on Sunday and wept "uncontrollably" for an hour.

The church was located only a few blocks away at 3104 16th Av. S. The fire, which started in the church attic, is believed to have been caused by lightning, according to fire department.

Church officials also met on Tuesday with representatives from Church Mutual, the firm that insured Walker and were told that the parish would be getting a settlement of more than $1 million, Hayward said. "We have a number of options," she said. "We haven't made any decisions." Those options include rebuilding the church, partnering with another organization to create "a bigger space" or to buy and renovate a building, she said.

The Walker Church has received a donation of $2,500 from Hennepin United Methodist Church for immediate needs, and has had numerous offers of help and money from other churches, Hayward said. In the meantime, the church held choir practice and a meeting of leaders of the church at the home of one of the members on Tuesday night.