Members of Gardendale First Baptist Church (GFBC) will have to wait a little longer before moving into their new worship center.

On Friday at 2 a.m., the Gardendale Police Department and the Gardendale Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at the church’s construction site, located at 316 Mountain Crest Blvd.

The fire was inside the building and was quickly extinguished, causing moderate damage, according to Lt. Chuck Denham of the Gardendale Police Department.

The police department obtained warrants Friday on Donny Ray Horton, 46, of Hoschton Ga., a representative of a company contracted to do work at the construction site, according to Denham.

The charges are arson second, with a $20,000 bond, and criminal mischief first, with a $2,500 bond. Horton was transported to the Jefferson County Jail.

Meanwhile, GFBC pastor Kevin Hamm, via the church’s website, is asking members of the congregation to “pray for the people who may have been involved in any illegal activities and their families.”

Hamm wrote that Horton is not a member of the church nor has he ever attended the church.

According to the GFBC website, Horton may have worked for the company from which the church is buying worship seats for the new building.

“The president of the company assured the church … that they will do everything in their power to expedite the eventual delivery of the seats,” the website states.

Hamm wrote that the fire will cause the worship center’s opening to be postponed.

“The event will delay the opening but we are not certain to what extent at this time. … This is our opportunity to demonstrate to a lost and hurting world how the love of Jesus responds in a difficult situation,” he wrote.

Officials at the church said Tuesday they had nothing new to add to the published statement.