Refreshed Visual Identity for the Southeastern Iowa Synod!
A visual identity serves as a powerful tool to communicate who you are and what you stand for, conveying your mission, values, and the essence of your community. For the Southeastern Iowa Synod, how we digitally represent ourselves and the Church tells a story about who we are as children of God, forgiven and loved, and how we share the Good News of Jesus as the body of Christ in the world.
Earlier this year, Bishop Current and the Synod Council Executive Committee invited a group of seven individuals to serve on a Visual Identity Refresh Team. The synod partnered with Evoke Experts to lead in identifying the unique personality of the synod and design the final visual identity.
During their work, the visual identity team prioritized:
Presenting a visual impression that is more inclusive of all of Southeastern Iowa’s geographical areas and the diversity of people within the synod’s congregations and the communities served.
Illustrating the synod’s priorities and how God is at work in the world through consistent visuals and voice.
Providing clear communication guidelines to support the synod’s commitment to Sharing the Good News of God through Jesus Christ, including anti-hunger and advocacy efforts, children, youth, and family ministries, ecumenical and global companionship, racial justice, and welcome and affirmation of all God’s people.
The synod’s new visual identity includes logo variations, colors, and written guidelines complementary to the ELCA’s refreshed parent brand. The logo depicts multicolored hands coming together as intersecting pathways, representing how the diverse people and congregations of the synod are one supportive community in Christ, all driven together by their faith, as shown by the stylized cross in the middle. The lines surrounding the hands evoke an inclusive circle, but one which has open spaces to allow for all to be welcomed.
The visual identity team members included rostered ministers, a synod council member, professional ministry staff, and lay leaders from small-town, rural, and urban congregations. Additionally, several members brought expertise in marketing and communications, ensuring a broad range of perspectives and life experiences to shape the synod’s new visual identity. We are grateful for the time and insights these leaders gave to this project.
With the new visual identity, the synod is poised to reach even more people with the love and hope of Christ. We look forward to seeing how this new identity will continue to strengthen the bonds of community, inspire faith, and guide us all toward a future rooted in God’s loving promise of making all things new.
