A brand is more than just a logo or a name; it’s a representation that captures the essence of an organization – the unique substance that embodies what the organization promises and what people will experience. For the newly branded St. James Community Church, this encompasses everything from the look and feel of our visual identity, the tone of our messaging and the feeling the brand evokes within the community and beyond. A strong brand is important because it helps the Church stand out, communicates values and purpose in a clear, compelling and trusting way. This ensures consistency and strengthens our identity and allows our message of the salvation of Christ and the support of the Holy Spirit to resonate authentically and effectively.

THE IMAGE

The Dove & Cross imagery within the St. James Community Church logo is significant to who we are and what we believe. The dove serves as a representation and reminder of the ongoing guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The cross is a universal symbol of salvation through the Father’s Son, Jesus Christ. While the dove is prominent in the image, the cross is more embedded and less obvious. Just as we must seek Christ in our daily lives, we must also seek the embedded cross in this image. Moreover, the cross is not vertical but resting upon the dove at an angle. This projects the significance of believers carrying their own cross following Jesus’ example. Together the Dove & Cross signify our firm belief in the triune, representing God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit together as one. Additionally, we see the dove carrying an offering in its beak. Symbolizing peace, hope, and new beginnings just as it did in the story of Noah’s Ark, this offering is one we’re extending to our community through our congregation. These representations are all meaningful to our church’s faith – and just like this dove in flight, the Holy Spirit is on the move at St. James.

The Dove & Cross significance also connects to our heritage, with nods to a prior mark of the church, which inversely featured a prominent cross and subtle dove, as well as our United Methodist heritage that utilized the mark of the Cross and Flame. Our new Dove & Cross image represents Christ and the Holy Spirit.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOSAIC SHAPES

The mosaic composition of the Dove & Cross was designed with intention and importance. The distinct pieces made from varying shapes, sizes, and colors come together as the dove, one body from many pieces and many different functions. Just as the unique individuals of St. James from different cultures, races, and nationalities are united as a church body, each with their own spiritual gifts as promised in Romans 12.

ROMANS 12:4-6 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.

Each unique shape also represents biblical promises and beliefs:

OLIVE BRANCH: The Good News of the Gospel… Hope and peace

HEAD: The Word of God

CHEST: Love one another (John 13:34)

WINGS: Great Commission

• 1. Sharing the Gospel at home
  2. Sharing the Gospel abroad (Mat 28:16-20)

WAIST: Fellowship (Acts 2:42)

TAIL: New life in Christ (Eph 4:17-32)

Within the mosaic can also be found a tribute to our diaspora heritage. The mosaic pieces are reminiscent of the multicolored elements of traditional Kente cloth, paying homage to the cultural heritage of our church’s roots as founded by former enslaved people of the African diaspora.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FONT AND COLORS

Created in 2011, the Montserrat sans serif font family has become increasingly popular among web designers because of its simple, clean and modern look. It has a broad appeal because of its readability.

1. DISTINCTION – In the entire font family there is only one character that is highly distinct, the capital letter “J”.
2. LEGACY CONNECTION – Similarly in the most recent mark used for the church, this same capital letter is distinctly stylized.

Confident & Energetic Colors

The color palette connects the rich heritage of the church to the relevance of today. The colors were intentionally chosen for their modern, vibrant, bold, and sophisticated capabilities, along with a depth of application not yet seen in our prior brand approach.

Our new brand is a promise to the community of the lasting impact we seek to have on the lives of all who have an encounter with St. James Community Church.