Encourager Branding Guide by Nathan

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

BRANDING GUIDE

THE IDENTITY OF ENCOURAGER CHURCH

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

CONTENTS

Introduction

Our Vision and Mission

Our Identity

The Encourager Logo Logo Usage Logo Usage Guidelines Logo Usage Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t 10

Our Typography

Our Color Palette

Our Design Toolkit

Supporting Graphics Standard Graphics 20

Our Writing Guidelines

Consistent Language Punctuation, Grammar & Spelling Writing Checklist & Proofing Resources & References

Our Design Guide

Our Website

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

Welcome to the Encourager Branding Guide. These branding guidelines have been assembled to reflect the new and fresh image that is Encourager Church. Our logos, typefaces, and color guidelines have been specifically selected to reflect our value of excellence and to convey to those who see them an impression of who we are as people and as a church – modern, warm, honest, gracious, culturally relevant, and welcoming. But ultimately our ‘brand’ is much more than logos, colors and formats – it is the product of the many different factors that create an overall impression of Encourager in people’s minds. Our brand is the way people think, feel and respond when they hear or read the name ‘Encourager.’ Every Encourager and every ministry area at Encourager is an ambassador of the Encourager brand. Of course, each ministry area establishes its ministry programs and practices to ensure that it is consistently making the best possible impression upon the people whom it serves. In the same way, the guidelines contained in the following pages have been developed to ensure that, by being consistent in our use of our logos and our ‘look’, we (Encourager as a whole) consistently make a positive impression with all of our printed pieces, web pages and marketing material. This is only the start of the story. Through conversations, this branding guide is meant to be a living document that grows, evolves and is refined as we continually uncover our identity and learn what it takes to communicate with a unified voice.

“WHATEVER YOUR HAND FINDS TO DO, DO IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT...”

Ecclesiastes 9:10

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR VISION AND MISSION HEARTS REVIVED. LIVES CHANGED.

COMMUNICATING THE ENCOURAGER BRAND The Encourager Church brand message and attributes are carried through all mediums of communications through the intelligent use of color, typography, photography, and other Encourager Church brand elements. Proper usage is important to ensure the quality of the experience of every Encourager Church member and visitor. The brand elements include: The Encourager Church logo, the Encourager Church Tent, color ﬁelds and bars, typefaces, and line art. Our brand strategy is made up of a vision that comes to life through our brand essence, positioning statement and image attributes, which deﬁne how we live, behave and communicate every day with our community.

At Encourager, you will find a church that passionately pursues after God’s Kingdom. Encourager is a place where… • • • • •

Your faith will be strengthened You heart will be awakened Your creativity will be released Your character will be forged Your destiny will be pursued

We desire to empower people to step into their destiny according to God’s vital design and encounter God in a living relationship. All while walking in God given authority to spread the Kingdom of God through knowing who we are in Christ and who He is in us.

OUR MISSION

It is our intent to pursue God into the full manifestation of His Presence. Our passion is to see every person enter into the fullness of God’s promises. As a family we want to promote healthy relationships through interconnected persons, equipping and empowering each one for Kingdom responsibility. Individually we can achieve some things; collectively we can accomplish the unimaginable. We believe everything God has done in our lives is both unproven and unreal until it is refined and demonstrated by our relationships with others. Our primary objectives are... • To honor and correctly represent God in all we are and do. • To develop people to be Kingdom servant leaders. • To pursue excellence and a culture of honor. • To grow in such a way as to produce impact in our city and touch nations.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR IDENTITY O

ur situation today calls for a uniform and united brand strategy. We must focus on presenting a clear, unified image to the world. As the brand is the most visible extension of Encourager, every communication our church makes either strengthens the brand or weakens it. By leveraging the brand’s power in all you do, your marketing and communication efforts are made more effective and the Encourager brand is made that much stronger. Building our brand grows our influence and strengthens the appeal of our message. That’s why it’s essential that every member of the Encourager staff implement the brand consistently and with a cohesive vision.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR IDENTITY THE ENCOURAGER LOGO

1. SYMBOL

The blue shape with the cross in the middle is critical to the brand. The centered cross symbolizes how Christ is the center of the church and should be the center of our lives. The forward swoop illustrates a church that is advancing the Kingdom.

2. WORD MARK

The words “Encourager Church” are in the Futura font. The Futura font is used for its simplicity, and also it’s clean and modern feel. Encourager is given dominance so that it stands out from Church.

3. TAGLINE

The tagline, “Hearts Revived. Lives Changed.,” is the mission of Encourager Church.

The Encourager logo is the primary element in our church’s signature. Consistent application of this single brand signature treatment strengthens the Encourager identity throughout all of our communication materials. The Encourager logo should be used for all general marketing materials, including brochures, direct mail, emails, communications, advertisements, etc. The Encourager logo should also be used on formal business documentation, including contracts, Terms and Conditions, invoices, mouse-type, paychecks, purchase order forms, etc. 2 1

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

MINIMUM CLEAR SPACE REQUIREMENTS

Maintaining a clean and uncluttered area around the Encourager logo maximizes the visual impact of this key brand elements. The minimum clear space surrounding the Encourager logo should be equal to the letter “E” in the Encourager type treatment as indicated below.

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR IDENTITY LOGO USAGE

COLOR LOGO A Use this color Encourager logo when you are placing it on a background of white or a light color

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

ENCOURAGER CHURCH .

HEARTS REVIVED

ENCOURAGER CHURCH .

HEARTS REVIVED

COLOR LOGO B Use this color Encourager logo when you are placing it on a dark background.

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

LIVES CHANGED

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED

WHITE LOGO Use this one color Encourager logo when you are placing it on a dark background.

LIVES CHANGED

ENCOURAGER CHURCH .

HEARTS REVIVED

LIVES CHANGED

BLACK LOGO Use this one color Encourager logo when you are placing it on a white or light background

ENCOURAGER CHURCH

GREY LOGO Use this gray scale Encourager logo when you are placing it on a white or light background and you cannot use color

ENCOURAGER CHURCH

EC Vertical Logo >

HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

HEARTS REVIVED

LIVES CHANGED

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR IDENTITY LOGO USAGE GUIDELINES

To ensure a consistent and appropriate brand identity, a general set of guidelines for logo usage is outlined as follows. 1. No elements of the logo artwork may be recreated, deleted, cropped, or reconfigured. All logo artwork is provided as Adobe Illustrator, based EPS. 2. A minimum clearspace, as outlined on minimum clear space guide must be maintained on the perimeter surrounding logo artwork to ensure proper alignment 3. Logo artwork must be uniformly scaled. Non-uniform scaling distorts the proportions of artwork and the relationship between the icons and letterforms. 4. Logo artwork should always appear upright. 5. EPS files are vector artwork and are infinitely scalable, thus eliminating the need to ensure proper resolution for the purpose of reproduction. 6. Logo artwork should appear against a solid background to ensure maximum and proper contrast.

ALTERNATE LOGO USAGE

On some occasions, it is acceptable to use the Encourager logo without the text. Follow the same usage guidelines as the standard logo for this alternate usage.

7. Logo artwork may only be reproduced directly from a digital file. It should never be reproduced from previously printed materials. 8. Do not reproduce the logo in colors other than those specified in these guidelines.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR IDENTITY LOGO USAGE DONT’S

1. Don’t change the logo’s orientation. 2. Don’t bevel or emboss the logo. 3. Don’t place the logo on a busy photograph or pattern. 4. Don’t change the logo colors. 5. Don’t crop the logo in any way.

GER ENCOURA CHURCH HEARTS

REVIVED

GE . LIVES CHAN

ORIENTATION

8. Don’t present the logo in “outline only” fashion. 9. Don’t place the logo on similarly-colored backgrounds. 10. Don’t outline the logo in any color. 11. Don’t add “drop shadow” effects to the logo. 13. Don’t reconfigure or change the size or placement of any logo elements. 14. Don’t stretch or squeeze the logo to distort proportions. 15. Don’t recreate elements or replace with something else. TIP: Hold down the shift key when enlarging or reducing all logos. That will insure that the logo remains in its proper proportions. 9

BEVEL

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

BUSY PHOTO/PATTERN

COLOR

ENCOURAGER CHURCH

6. Don’t add “glow” effects to the logo. 7. Don’t present the logo on “vibrating” colored backgrounds.

HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

CROP

GLOW

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

VIBRATING COLOR

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

BACKGROUND COLOR

OUTLINE

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

OUTLINE

ENCOURAGER CHURCH

HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

DROP SHADOW

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

STRETCH/SQUEEZE

RECONFIGURE

ENCOURAGER CHURCH HEART S REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

REPLACE

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR TYPOGRAPHY T

ypography is a fundamental building block of the Encourager design architecture, providing a uniform structure to reinforce our church identity throughout all of our communications. The following sections present the correct usage of the fonts used to brand Encourager Church.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR TYPOGRAPHY The two Encourager brand typefaces are Futura Std and Adobe Garamond Pro. These two typefaces complement our ministry signature, are extremely legible and provide ample flexibility for a wide range of applications. Use only these typefaces when creating printed materials for Encourager. When creating electronic communications such as PowerPoint presentations or Web-based pages, use Verdana and/or Times New Roman as the secondary typefaces. Because both are standard fonts on PCs so they provide the best choice when our two typefaces are not available. In certain instances, it may be appropriate to use additional typefaces to call interest, coordinate with other marketing efforts or capture the feeling not possible with Futura or Garamond. In these cases, it is extremely important that the overall visual impression is still clearly Encourager.

USAGE EXAMPLES

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vital in any situation to create contrast when using fonts. For instance, a common practice is to mix complimentary sans serif fonts and serif fonts to create this contrast. The two examples below illustrate this design. In the first example, Futura Heavy (Sans Serif ) is used for the headline and Adobe Garamond Regular (Serif ) is used for the body type. This is reversed in the second example. In most church marketing material, text should mimic the first example.

TIP: Only use a maximum of TWO complementing fonts in a design. This will create an uncluttered design.

HEADLINE FOR TEXT

Equis rerunt. Intiam ad qui aut aut vel is vit qui rendita epernam, serro vellibus eveniae. Nequas quaeper ibusam ant, vit abor acessim usdae. Ut omnis a quibus.

HEADLINE FOR TEXT

Equis rerunt. Intiam ad qui aut aut vel is vit qui rendita epernam, serro vellibus eveniae. Nequas quaeper ibusam ant, vit abor acessim usdae. Ut omnis a quibus. 11

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR TYPOGRAPHY

Futura Std

Use Futura primarily for headings and titles. It can be used as body type but do this sparingly.

Light Condensed

Medium Condensed

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?& ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

Bold Condensed

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

Extra Bold Condensed

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

Light

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

Book

Medium

Heavy

Bold

Extra Bold

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?& ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?& ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?& ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?& ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR TYPOGRAPHY

Abobe Garamond Pro & ITC Garamond Std

Use Adobe Garamond Pro primarly as body type. It can be used in headings but do this sparingly. Use ITC Garamond in the weekly planner.

Regular

Italic

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?& ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

Semibold

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

Semibold Italic

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

Bold

Bold Italic

ITC Garamond Book Narrow

ITC Garamond Light Condensed Italic

ABCDEFGHILJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890,.:;!?&

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR COLOR PALETTE T

he importance of color and proper palette selection can not be underestimated. This section will cover the main colors that should be used on any primary communication vehicle. White space should be kept at a premium with the primary and secondary colors acting as accent points.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR COLOR PALLET PRIMARY COLOR PALETTE

PLEASE NOTE: For all Print, Presentations, Flyers, etc. the colors should reflect the CMYK values. For all Web applications, they should reflect the RGB or hexadecimal code. The Web RGB blue is much brighter than the CMYK blue, which matches closer to the actual logo blue.

ENCOURAGER BLUE

ENCOURAGER BLUE 2

PANTONE 308 U c/100 m/5 y/0 k/47 r/0 g/104 b/146 hexadecimal / 006892

PANTONE 7453 U c/50 m/26 y/0 k/0 r/126 g/166 b/215 hexadecimal / 7EA6D7

ENCOURAGER GRAY c/0 m/0 y/0 k/90 r/65 g/64 b/66 hexadecimal / 414042

SECONDARY COLOR PALETTE

DARK BROWN

BROWN

LIGHT BROWN

CREAM

GRAY

PANTONE 419 U c/29 m/0 y/36 k/100 r/3 g/24 b/13 hexadecimal / 03180D

PANTONE 405 U c/0 m/10 y/33 k/72 r/105 g/94 b/74 hexadecimal / 695E4A

PANTONE 5783 U c/6 m/0 y/28 k/27 r/184 g/188 b/155 hexadecimal / B8BC9B

PANTONE 7485 U c/6 m/0 y/10 k/0 r/238 g/246 b/232 hexadecimal / EEF6E8

PANTONE COOL GRAY 2 U c/0 m/0 y/0 k/10 r/230 g/231 b/232 hexadecimal / E6E7E8

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN TOOLKIT F

onts and colors are just one aspect of our brand. There are also several supporting graphics that can be used throughout any Encourager design. These textures and shapes give the church a consistent look and add a dimension of quality to most projects. Of course, designs will vary for event or ministry designs, however for all primary church marketing and internal communication needs, these graphics must be used. Also included in this section are the three primary resources used to reach visitors and members, and the standards used to produce these three documents: The Weekly Planner, Connection Point Handout, and the Power & Equipping Handout.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN TOOLKIT SUPPORTING GRAPHICS

GRUNGE PAPER TEXTURES

In any primary church marketing material, a paper grunge texture should be used. There are several to chose from in the design folder.

CLOUD/LIGHT TEXTURE

The cloud/light textures provide a great contrast to the earthy tones of the grunge paper textures when used simultaneously in the same design. This graphics should be used in all primary church marketing.

SAMPLE TEXT

RIBBONS

In all primary marketing material use ribbons to add an extra dimension to designs. All text should be White, Futura Std Heavy. Note the curved drop shadow that is under the ribbon and the dashed line accent - this is essential.

WHITE BANNER

In all primary marketing material use this off white banner with light gray lines to separate the church logo and/or other headlines from textured backgrounds. It must span the width of the page.

CURVED DROP SHADOW

In order to bring more dimension to graphics, an optional design element is a adding a curved dropshadow to pictures to create an illusion of the corners folding up.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN TOOLKIT STANDARD PRINTED MATERIAL - WEEKLY PLANNER

Each week the church’s weekly planner highlights events at the church and serves to educate visitors and members about the on goings of the church. The design of the weekly planner features all of the primary aspects of the brand including the colors, textures, and fonts of the Encourager Identity. PRINTING The weekly planner shell should be printed on: 80lbs cover, matte gloss paper. This will ensure the colors are vibrant and the paper thickness remains very durable. WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENT LAYOUT In order to not confuse readers as well as not clutter the design of the weekly planner, keep all text uniform. Match the design below:

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOU... First Name: Last name:

CONNECTION POINTS

Address:

Our Connection Point classes provide intentional relationship opportunities among those sharing a common place in life where they can build community together and then “plug in and reach out” to the world around us. Pick-up a Connection Point info sheet to find out more.

City: State:

Zip:

Home Phone: (

)

Work Phone: (

)

Cell Phone: (

How did you find out about Encourager? Website Friend Drive by Select all that are applicable: 1st Time Guest Attendee Address Change

Download a QR code reader on your smart phone and scan this code to learn more about Encourager Church and find out about upcoming events.

SUNDAY MORNING 9:00

1st Worship Service Connection Points Youth Service

10:45

2nd Worship Service Kids’ Church Connection Points

Your Age Group 11 & Under 12-18 19-25 26-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 60+ Children’s Age(s): Married Divorced

My Decision Today: I’m committing my life to Christ I’m renewing my commitment to Christ I want to be baptized I would like to talk to a Pastor I’m willing to help where needed I would like to join Encourager Church I would like to help specifically with:

HEARTS REVIVED . LIVES CHANGED

WEDNESDAY EVENING 7:00

FOR MORE INFORMATION Return Guest Member

ENCOURAGER CHURCH

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

)

E-mail:

Please select one: Single Separated Widowed

HOW TO CONNECT AT ENCOURAGER

GO TO WWW.ENCOURAGERCHURCH.ORG

Power & Equipping Youth Service Kids’ Church

Welcome Guests O

n behalf of Sherry and myself, the staff and the congregation, we are so glad you are here. We eagerly anticipate getting to know you personally. That’s important to us here at Encourager. We desire to build meaningful relationships with one another and we believe you will find a rich diversity of people at Encourager Church. I am PASTOR BOB & SHERRY PHILLIPS certain that you will find a place to connect.

10950 Katy Frwy . Houston, TX 77043 . 713.722.4300

Senior Pastor:

BOB PHILLIPS Worship Pastor:

JOHNNY FERNANDEZ visit us online at www.encouragerchurch.org

Feel free to submit...

Comments, Requests, Prayer Needs, or Praise Reports below.

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our Pastors & Intercessors faithfully pray over every request.

Event Headline: FUTURA HEAVY - 13pt Event Date: FUTURA MEDIUM - 13pt Event Body Type: ITC Garamond Narrow - 11pt

EVENT HEADLINE

MONTH 00 . 0:00

Icatur suntion ectotatem velit voluptu sapienet ut ariosap erisitium endic te quati corepel molut harit, omnit expedit volum reratem unti te volum incto blaborem sit utem exceperspic tem fugiat.Uga. Et exerit et dolut volupta 18

I would like more information about: Becoming a Christian The next New Members class Connection Point classes Men’s Ministry Women’s Ministry Young Adult (18 & Up / College & Career) Youth Ministry Children’s Ministry Outreach & Missions

NEED HEALING? NEED PRAYER? Come and visit our...

10950 Katy Frwy

. Houston, TX 77043 . 713.722.4300

Healing Rooms of West Houston

visit us online at www.encouragerchurch.org

Mondays: 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. No appointment necessary

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN TOOLKIT

STANDARD PRINTED MATERIAL - CONNECTION POINTS & WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

CONNECTION POINT INFO SHEETS

One of the tools for guests and church members is the Connection Point handout. This double sided info sheet contains the names, class-times, classrooms, and descriptions for all of the Connection Point classes offered at Encourager. The classes might change over time but this sheet remains a crucial connection point for those who attend Encourager. PRINTING These handouts should be printed on: 80lbs cover, gloss paper. This will ensure the colors are vibrant and the paper thickness remains very durable. Print two at a time, on tabloid (11x17) sheets to ensure proper bleed room for the graphics.

HOW TO

CONNECT WITH THE

BODY

At Encourager, we offer several ways for members to connect and be encouraged.Marketplace Ministry

Rick Watts

Room D

9:00 a.m. Sunday

CONNECTION POINTS provide intentional relationship opportunities among those sharing a common The purpose of Marketplace Ministry involves equipping believers to be loving and excelplace in life where they can build community together and then “plug in and reach out” to the world lent as citizens of an unshakable Kingdom in the midst of a business community facing uncertainty and the unknown. With prayer, exhortation, and the sharing of ideas, Marketaround us. Some classes will gather persons with a passion to be MOUNTAIN TAKERS who can influence one of the seven mountains of our society: church, family, education, government, business, place Ministry meets weekly to share strategies on how to powerfully minister love and Truth to impact the business community with the hope of the Kingdom of God. arts and media. Other classes will continue to provide solid instruction and encouragement from teachers passionate about communicating the Truth of the Word in a practical way.

The Shift

Justin & Juliana Evans

Youth Room 7:00 p.m. Sunday

Roots

Chris & Jessica Hill Keith & Cyndy Miller

Room JK

Educators in Christ

Carl Jones

Room G

9:00 a.m. Sunday

Educators in Christ creates an environment for believers who work in education to cooperCollege-age Young Adults looking to shift from the ordinary into the extraordinary that ate with the Holy Spirit and band together to pray and form strengthening relationships in God has for their lives will find a place to connect with The Shift. The group desires to help order to meet the unique challenges of the education workplace. With God’s calling and those who feel hurt and struggle with life find hope and strength through a lifestyle with anointing, these educators desire to function together to bear a harvest in their lives and Jesus. We want to equip Young Adults by reaching out to the community as well as profamilies and see the mountain of public education saturated with Christ’s love. viding opportunities for them to build and grow relationships — all while having a blast.

11:00 a.m. Sunday

King’s Daughters

Glenda Hallmark

Room B

9:00 a.m. Sunday

Taking its theme from Psalms 45:1, “My heart is stirred by a noble theme, as I recite my Young married couples, who desire to see the roots of their faith and verses to the King,” this group of ladies pursues a passion for Jesus, to know Him as He marriages be grounded and grown on a holy foundation, will find knows a them. Through Bible study, prayer, and fellowship, they seek to prepare themselves great place for growing deep, lasting roots in their marriages in this as His Bride, being “led in with gladness and rejoicing” as “ they enter the King’s palace”. Connection Point. By encouraging each another and living life togethThe group is open to all adult women. er, couples in this group can create a better environment to flourish.

Encourager

Jack & Andrea Jones

Room I

9:30 a.m. Sunday

Room E

9:00 a.m. Sunday

Heart for Israel

Jan Phillips

Room J/K 9:00 a.m. Sunday

Scripture exhorts believers, “pray for the peace of Jerusalem – may they prosper who love Families you (Psalm 122:6).” Heart for Israel responds to this exhortation with prayer, teaching, Encourager Families, a community of families with children, emphasizes an environment and discussion of what the Word has to say about current and historical issues relating to of encouragement as parents aspire to raise godly kids and build strong families. For Israel. The class is open to all adults. parents of kids from the first day in the nursery to the last day of high school, our goals include strengthening each other in marriage, sharing parental wisdom, and learning to walk the Kingdom walk — all as a family.

Kingdom Living

Rusty & Peggy Clark

KeenAgers

Roy & Anne White

Room D

11:00 a.m. Sunday

Filled with seniors who love to study the Word and apply it to life in an interactive way, Endeavoring to hear from the Lord concerning His heart’s desires, this Connection PointKeenAgers provides an opportunity to join experienced and knowledgeable believers as challenges participants to live a Kingdom lifestyle. By learning more about the writtenthey discuss the Word together. The group also prays and cares for each other as a family Word of God, the prophetic word, and learning to walk in the supernatural, those involvedand welcomes all adults who desire to attend. will grow in communion and support for each other, and also with the Lord. Adults of all ages are welcomed.

Priscilla & Aquilla

Suzanne Woods

Room M

11:00 a.m. Sunday

This long-standing class focuses on study of Scripture and how to apply the Word to our communities by reaching out in the power of the Holy Spirit daily, in our life, work, and families. The teaching of the group often rotates among several members of the group who are experienced in the Word and led by the Spirit. The class is open to all adults.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT POWER & EQUIPPING INFO SHEETS

This info sheet is another resource for guests and church members to connect to Encourager. This double sided info sheet contains the names, class-times, classrooms, and descriptions for all of the Power & Equipping opportunities offered at Encourager. The design is open to changes when new connection opportunities begin.

7:00 PM WORSHIP & PRAYER

WORSHIP & PRAYER FOUNDATIONS

PRINTING These handouts should be printed on: 80lbs cover, gloss paper. This will ensure the colors are vibrant and the paper thickness remains very durable. Print two at a time, on tabloid (11x17) sheets to ensure proper bleed room for the graphics.

FIRESTARTERS

WORSHIP CENTER

PASTOR BOB PHILLIPS & PASTOR GABI SOLTAU

ome as we learn together to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as a corporate Body and experience the tangible Presence of God. Participate in glorious praise and exuberant worship. Be inspired by teachings on prayer and intercession. We need you as we are raising up an army of prayers in our church.

FOUNDATIONS ROOM M

KEITH MILLER

his class is designed to establish or reinforce a solid grounding for believers in the basics of the Christian faith, to be built around the four pillars of the church – Word, Worship, Extravagant Love and Prayer. We will build a framework for a clear understanding of doctrine and practical truth for a secure faith in turbulent times.

FIRESTARTERS FELLOWSHIP HALL SIDNEY & CATHY O’PRY

*Registration Required $20 fee for workbook

his 12-week course is designed to assist believers in becoming world-changers and history-makers in their schools, neighborhoods and communities. The class will focus on how we can represent God as Kingdom sons and daughters with passion, power and purpose as you come to know and walk in your Godgiven identity and destiny, fueled by power expressed through purity, prayer, the prophetic and healing.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES W

ords are the primary vehicle that carry most designs. Understanding the subtle differences between words and how each one impacts the message will have a large impact on the success of the design. As a church, we follow the standards laid out in the AP stylebook, as it is the industry standard for use in all marketing material.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES CONSISTENT LANGUAGE

There are several areas of writing that may not be right or wrong, but should be used consistently so as to communicate a clear message to the reader. This section will help familiarize you with The Encourager Church’s grammar, style and spelling conventions. ABBREVIATIONS Avoid in general, so as to not cause any confusion to the reader. When in doubt, write it out. THE ENCOURAGER CHURCH Avoid abbreviating, especially when referring to Encourager Church in public communication. “EC” and the like are not appropriate, as they can cause confusion to the reader. MINISTRIES We abbreviate ministry names only on second reference, noting the forthcoming abbreviation in parentheses upon first introducing the ministry. BIBLE REFERENCE We abbreviate the books of the Bible when citing a referenced verse. THAT OR WHO When referring to a person, use “who” not “that.” Example: Correct: She is the woman who went to church. Wrong: She is the woman that went to church DATES When the event is happening in the current year, we don’t usually reference the year. However, if there is a chance of confusion, it’s best to include the year.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES CONSISTENT LANGUAGE

Months with more than one syllable may be abbreviated. We just make sure all months are abbreviated,or not, within the same document or series of documents. Do not abbreviate days (Tuesday not Tues.). Use an en dash or hyphen (roughly the width of a letter) to separate the days indicating the length of the event. No space is needed. Example: Our conference will be held June 5–8, 2013. The workshops begin on Wednesday, June 5. TIMES When writing times, we don’t include “:00” if the event starts on the hour. If the time begins and ends within the morning, or begins and ends after noon, “a.m.” or “p.m.” is placed after the ending time. We do not place a space between the periods in a.m. or p.m., and we do not capitalize AM and PM. Noon and Midnight may be capitalized when a list of event times are outlined. Examples: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (a.m. and p.m. included, since the event begins in the morning and ends in the afternoon); 3 to 4 p.m. (p.m. listed after the second time, since the event takes place entirely in the afternoon); and 6 to 7:30 p.m. (do not say 6:00, just 6 will do). E-MAIL E-mail addresses are written in lowercase letters. Do not underline e-mail addresses. Example: msmitherson@encouragerchurch.org PHONE We separate phone numbers with periods instead of dashes. Use lowercase “ext.” for extension. Include an extension whenever appropriate. 22

Example: 713.722.4300 or 888.722.4300 ext. 1234

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR AND SPELLING

Here are some helpful tips to remember as you begin your written communication: SENTENCES We use active voice over passive voice most of the time. Active voice is easier to read, more engaging and heightens the reader’s response. Microsoft Word will catch some passive writing—on a PC, go to the Tools menu and select the Options command. The Spelling & Grammar tab includes passive writing detection. Active writing: Mark decided to leave. (Passive writing: “It was decided by Mark to leave.”) APOSTROPHES Apostrophes indicate possession. (example: Joe’s CD) or a contraction (example: You’re going to the store.) The plural form of a word does not need an apostrophe. Examples • Churches (plural); church’s (posessesive) • CDs, URLs and 1990s (all plural) • Smiths (plural), Smith’s (possessive) • Don’t (contraction of “do not”) CAPITALIZATION We avoid using all capital letters in body type, as it gives the impression of YELLING at the reader. • Only capitalize proper nouns, such as Texas, Susan or Encourager Church. • Religious words such as church, kingdom, worship, temple, state and heaven are not capitalized. • We capitalize nouns and pronouns referencing God (Father, Holy Spirit, He, Him).

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR AND SPELLING

COMMAS Commas can be tricky, so consult The AP Stylebook or the punctuation section of Webster’s New World College Dictionary when in doubt. The following are a few of the most common uses of the comma, according to The Associated Press. Series In lists of three items or more, we eliminate the comma before the final item in a series unless the comma is needed to eliminate confusion. Example where a comma before the “and” is not necessary: He went to church to learn, worship and fellowship. Example where the comma eliminates confusion: We are going to the store, will pick up John and Jill, and then will buy everyone dinner. The store accepts cash, checks, as well as debit and credit cards. Clauses and Phrases Nonessential clauses and nonessential phrases are set off by commas; essential clauses and essential phrases are not. In other words, if the information is imperative to the meaning of the sentence, it should not be set off by commas. However, if removing the clause or phrase would not change the meaning of the sentence, it should be set off by commas. Example of nonessential clause: My wife, Jill, is a doctor. (I only have one wife, so including her name is “nonessential” to understanding the content of the sentence, and commas must be used.) Example of essential clause: My daughter Isabella is in kindergarten. (This construction indicates that I have more than one daughter; in order to understand which child is in kindergarten, the name is “essential” and is included without commas.) Introducing Direct Quotes Use a comma to introduce a one-sentence quotation. Use a colon for more than one sentence. 24

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR AND SPELLING

Example: Jean replied, “I will be attending the event.” Joe argued: “Why should I have to go? I don’t want to.” City and State Use commas to set off a state when listed with a city. (Join us in Houston, Texas, in May.) Direct Address Use a comma to set apart a person’s name when you are addressing him or her. Example: (Pastor, please be sure to attend this event.) Figures Use commas in numbers over 999. This does not apply to addresses (10950 Katy Frwy.), phone numbers, room numbers and years. EXCLAMATION POINTS When possible, we construct sentences with active verbs that promote excitement instead of using an exclamation point. When the use of exclamation points are necessary, we use them sparingly, and never use more than one at the end of a sentence. NUMBERS Spell out numbers one through nine; use a numeral for 10 and above. However, numerals are always used in reference to a person’s age. (Susan is 9. Joe is 6.) Example: We can fit 100 people in room seven on the third floor. The 11th floor will host 1,500 people over the age of 7.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR AND SPELLING

PERIODS We use just one space after periods at the end of a sentence. A double-space after each sentence is not necessary or standard practice. In addition, do not use periods at the end of incomplete sentences that are part of a bulleted list. Example: • Groceries in Sugar Land • Garden supplies in Baytown • CDs at Target in Memorial PUNCTUATION WITH QUOTES Periods and commas generally go inside the quotation marks. The dash, semicolon, question mark and exclamation point go within the quotation mark only when they apply to the quoted matter. They go outside the quotes when the punctuation applies to the whole sentence. Example: “My life has been changed,” he said. “Would you like to hear my story?” Example: Who wrote the song “Love”? HEADLINES Headlines should often have a call to action. Think about how you want the reader to respond to the presented material and try to build the requested response into the headline. Follow AP style and capitalize the principal words, including prepositions and conjunctions of four or more letters. We capitalize articles with fewer than four letters, such as the, an and a, only if they are the first or last word in the title. Verbs, such as “is,” are always capitalized regardless of letter count when in a title or headline. SUBHEAD If your headline doesn’t have a call to action, make sure the subhead does. When the headline does have a call to action, tell the reader a little more about the purpose of your communication in the subhead. Generally, we only capitalize the first word in subheads. 26

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES WRITING CHECKLIST AND PROOFING

THE BASICS OF A PRINT PIECE When distributing a piece for public communication, we consistently include the following: • A prominently placed call to action. In addition, running through the necessary basics of Who, What, Where, When, Why and How (a call to action) will make your piece as effective and informative as possible. • Information that answers the questions your reader will be asking: “How does this apply to me?” and “Why do I need to know this?” • The complete address, phone number (toll-free or a specific number with an extension), e-mail address and applicable website address. • The Encourager Church logo BEFORE YOU GO TO PRINT Copy without proper proofreading and editing can communicate incorrect information to readers. It’s important to triple-check your documents before they are printed or published online. Because we all make mistakes, it’s a good rule of thumb to have at least two sets of proofreading eyes on each document before it is printed or published to the web. Following are some specific tips on what to look for when proofing your documents. ACCURACY Names: Double check the spellings of all names, locations, job or pastoral titles, and church names. Do not rely on memory or assume information has not changed. Dates: Cross reference dates and days of the week with a calendar. Info: Copy and paste all websites used into your browser to ensure the site addresses are still correct. Check that all phone numbers, addresses and e-mail addresses are also correct and current so that your audience is not led astray. 27

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES WRITING CHECKLIST AND PROOFING

AUDIENCE Does the copy answer the question, “How does this apply to me?” Will your audience clearly understand the information? Do they know how to respond? Do they have all the information they need to respond properly? BASICS Does the copy include the necessary basics of: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How (call to action)? Does the call to action include appropriate contact information that is easy to find and use (e.g., complete address, phone with extension, e-mail and website addresses)? CONSISTENCY When you have finished writing your piece, review your document or campaign (which might include a series of documents) for consistency within itself. Are all phone numbers listed in the same format? Are headings capitalized consistently? Are times and dates listed in a consistent format? INFORMATION It’s always a good idea to double check the accuracy of names, phone numbers and websites to ensure that your audience is able to contact the appropriate person. An extra check for accuracy now can save your audience from confusion—and save a lot of money in reprinting costs later. SPELLING It’s critical. A single misspelling can convey incorrect or inappropriate information. Do not rely on your computer’s spelling and grammar checkers exclusively though they are helpful for an initial check. TERMINOLOGY Remember that pastors and congregation members outside of the central office might not keep up with abbreviations or Encourager insider lingo. Explain things clearly—even if it seems overly simplified—in an effort to communicate clearly with everyone.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES WRITING CHECKLIST AND PROOFING

TONE Does your document accurately represent the intended meaning? Does it capture the spirit of what you are trying to communicate? Does it keep your audience in mind? If you don’t understand something, or if you stumble over some wording, assume others will, too. OUTSIDER Would you like to go the extra mile to serve your readers? Ask someone who isn’t familiar with the information you are trying to communicate to read your document. Ask that person to mark any mistakes, questions or confusion. TIPS FOR PROOFING • Print out your document and edit it on paper. It’s easy to miss errors on the computer screen, but you might catch additional errors on paper. • Use a blank sheet of paper to cover up the lines below the one you are reading. This technique keeps you from skipping over possible mistakes. • Read the document out loud. You might hear a problem that you didn’t notice while reading it silently. • If you are prone to a certain mistake, such as typing “it’s” when you mean to type “its,” use the search function to double-check those potential errors. • Spellcheck may flag items that are often misused, such as “it’s and its” or “their and there.” However, the suggestion is not always correct. Be sure to read the suggestion before deciding whether your information needs to be updated. • Do an extra check for spelling. Use a computer spell check, or read the document backwards word by word. • Remember, a computer spell check won’t catch mistakes that aren’t misspelled. • Ask someone else to read your work.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WRITING GUIDELINES RESOURCES AND REFERENCES

We refer to the following helpful resource material when writing and editing: DICTIONARIES Merriam-Webster Dictionary (www.merriam-webster.com) Wiktionary (www.wiktionary.org) ENGLISH/GRAMMAR The Associated Press Stylebook by Norm Goldstein Virtually all magazines and newspapers in the United States use The Associated Press Stylebook as their rulebook for writing and editing. It is the standard for Encourager’s publications and websites. Copies of The Associated Press Stylebook are available for purchase online at www.ap.org. WEB/INTERNET Another way to confirm usage or style that might not be referenced by The Associated Press is to use a search engine, such as google.com. Use the “news” section to search Google’s news links and archives. Type in your term or phrase and click “search news.” In the listed results, look at how well-respected U.S. newspapers use your term (ignore the international links, as international agencies use different rules). By comparing how varying U.S. newspapers use your term, you may determine the most common and accurate usage for your term or phrase. You can also run a similar search on www.cnn.com. or www.nytimes.com.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN GUIDE T

he corner stone of all successful brands begins with great design â&#x20AC;&#x201D; without it, even an amazing element can look horrible. Understanding the basics of composition and design will enable anyone to create wonderful designs that will not only inform people, but will also appeal to them. This section will briefly explore the basics: Alignment, Proximity, Contrast, Repetition. It all starts and ends with these four concepts. The best ideas will be worthless if the following rules are not adhered to consistently.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN GUIDE ALIGNMENT

Order brings out the best in any design and the lack of it is the reason most designs fail. The essence of the alignment principle is that nothing in a design should look as if it were placed there randomly. An invisible line connects every element, even elements the are spread out should have a visual connection, something that is easier to achieve with the use of grids. When you place elements on a page, try to align them with another element. Many people fail to make an effort to apply the alignment principle, which often results in elements being almost aligned but not quite. These designs look less sophisticated and overall less professional. The reader may not be conscious of it, but designs that contain elements in alignment look cleaner. Assuming other principles are applied harmoniously as well, a design should be easier to understand quickly. Name

Phone Number

Company Name Name

Company Name

Address

City, State

Equi natium esciis

Anducius est et volor aci beaque quam que expedic tatatus tiatur, nullautet labo. Ra volupti velest, ommo ommodiciur accae modi utem aut quidion sequia pa prae est, quature pari apedicit, solestinti ut officit magnihi llabore nonse susandi unt, corectu saestium andusae. RCILIBUS MOLUPTIORA QUATEM

Quo occullam, comnient in et et et quidellorias dolupta ecest, oditasp elignih iliquis nihic to idender ferehenecae volorum etur sit officae estorro iderferestia nones con nus arum reperro veribus exerum escit eos sam, simil es as volorep eraerchil idus. Eictaquae. Nequati orerum ide eaque nis es ut quate volectatur, que del maxima

qui auta volor magnatem OPTASSIM VENT ACCUM

que consequ amenis intur molores enda nis cus etur,

WHICH LOOKS BETTER?

Address City, State Phone Number

Equi natium esciis Anducius est et volor aci beaque quam que expedic tatatus tiatur, nullautet labo. Ra volupti velest, ommo ommodiciur accae modi utem aut quidion sequia pa prae est, quature pari apedicit, RCILIBUS MOLUPTIORA QUATEM

intent, sum est, officiatem dem quae reped ut estios con recum estecta tiureium volupta que magnis destrum eruptatum dolore velesequae pedipiene eaquasi musandestem vent ea dolore nobitius, que ducidus dandaepresti ut pratiat ibust, qui aborrov idellic to tem comnihilibus dol

OPTASSIM VENT ACCUM

que consequ amenis intur molores enda nis cus etur, intent, sum est, officiatem dem quae reped ut estios con recum estecta tiureium volupta que magnis destrum eruptatum dolore velesequae pedipiene eaquasi musandestem vent ea dolore nobitius,

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN GUIDE PROXIMITY

The principle of proximity is about moving things closer or farther apart to achieve a more organized look. Related items should be grouped together so that they will be viewed as a group, rather than as several unrelated elements. Readers assume that items not near each other in a design are not closely related and will naturally tend to group similar items that are near to each other into a single unit. A design must remain uncluttered in order to succeed. Unfortunately, most people simply try to fill up all of the empty space. This will suffocate your design and confuse readers. Space should be organized so that information can be easily understood and the reader is guided through the design. People should never have to “work” at trying to figure out which caption goes with which graphic or whether or not a line of text is a subtitle or a line of text unrelated to the title. Do not make audiences think. That is, do not make them “think” about the wrong stuff, like trying to decipher a design’s organization and design priority. Be conscious of where the eye goes first when we step back and look at our design.

Nulla non justo quis orci vestibulum imperdiet sed sit amet metus

Vestibulum dui eros, bibendum vitae consectetur ullamcorper, semper sit amet erat. Nam quis auctor risus. Phasellus imperdiet pulvinar sodales. Pellentesque a leo quis quam congue dictum nec nec turpis. Vestibulum vel leo ligula, ac porttitor turpis.

Nulla non justo quis orci vestibulum imperdiet sed sit amet metus Vestibulum dui eros, bibendum vitae consectetur ullamcorper, semper sit amet erat. Nam quis auctor risus. Phasellus imperdiet pulvinar sodales. Pellentesque a leo quis quam congue dictum nec nec turpis. Vestibulum vel leo ligula, ac porttitor turpis.

WHICH LOOKS BETTER?

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN GUIDE THE RULE OF THIRDS One of the most essential rules any designer can use is the rule of thirds. By using this rule, a designer can add interest to page and create alignment and contrast. The concept is simple: 1. Divide your spread into thirds

2. Place objects meant to be dominiate in at least two thirds or across spread

ENCOURAGER CHURCH

CONTRAST

Contrast simply means difference, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what gives a design its energy. This is one most powerful design concepts because any design element can be contrasted with another. Contrast can be achieved many waysâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for example, through the manipulation of space (near and far, empty and filled), through color choices (dark and light, cool and warm), by text selection (serif and sans serif, bold and narrow), by positioning of elements (top and bottom, isolated and grouped), and so on. Every good design has a strong and clear focal point and having a clear contrast among elements (with one being clearly dominant) helps. If all items in a design are of equal or similar weight with weak contrast and with nothing being clearly dominant, it is difficult for the viewer to know where to begin. Designs with strong contrast attract interest, and help the viewer make sense of the visual. Weak contrast is not only boring, but it can be confusing. Every single element of a design such as line, shape, color, texture, size, space, type, and so on can be manipulated to create contrast.

large type small type

3. Arrange body type and/or graphics in other thirds, esuring balance and flow

ENCOURAGER CHURCH

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

old fontnew font warm color

cool color

thick line

thin line

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN GUIDE REPETITION

The principle of repetition simply means the reusing of the same or similar elements throughout your design. Repetition of certain design elements will bring a clear sense of unity, consistency, and cohesiveness. Where contrast is about showing differences, repetition is about subtly using elements to make sure the design is viewed as being part of a larger whole. For example, a consistent background and consistent use of type adds unity across a design. This is apparent in the standard branding materiel, all of them share common traits that show consistency throughout the brand. Look through this guidebook, you will notice consistent elements that repeat in every section, such as the section names, the blue line across the top of each page, the format of the book. There are many ways to create repetition: • • • •

Bullets Bold Fonts Color Line

• A Design Element • Format • Special Relationship

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR DESIGN GUIDE IN SUMMARY HELPFUL TERMS TRACKING The overall spacing between all characters in a block of text. KERNING The reduction of spacing between a pair of letters. LEADING The vertical space between lines of type. POINT SIZE The height of a font. REVERSE TYPE White words set against a dark background. GUTTER The white space running vertically between elements on a page.

• Design matters. But design is not about decoration or about ornamentation. Design is about making communication as easy and clear for the viewer as possible. • Keep the principle of signal-versus-noise in mind to remove all nonessential elements. Remove visual clutter. • People remember visuals better than bullet points. Always ask yourself how you can use a strong visual—including quantitative displays—to enhance your narrative. • Empty space is not nothing; it is a powerful something. Learn to see and manipulate empty space to give a design greater organization, clarity, and interest. • Use the principle of contrast to create strong dynamic differences among elements that are different. If it is different, make it very different. • Use the principle of repetition to repeat selected elements throughout your designs. This can help give a design unity and organization. • Use the principle of alignment to connect elements visually (through invisible lines) on a slide. Grids are very useful for achieving good alignment. This will give a clean, well-organized look. • Use the principle of proximity to ensure that related items are grouped together. People will tend to interpret items together or near to each other as belonging to the same group.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

OUR WEBSITE T

he Encourager Church website functions as an extension of the physical location of the church; therefore it must be treated with the same attention to detail and intentionality that all church publications feature. All of the same writing and design guidelines for print also apply to the website.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

THE WEBSITE

THE ONLINE EXPERIENCE Encouragerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s web design standards were developed to ensure that the church has a consistent - and consistently positive - web presence, internally and externally. These standards support the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand strategy and require that all Encourager web pages adopt a common and consistent look and feel. All Encourager sites will also use common and intuitive web navigation tools that will make it easier for visitors to locate information about Encourager and its ministries. For all standard text the website uses two typefaces: Century Gothic for headlines and Verdana for all body type. Only variations in size and colors within the palette are acceptable.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE

THE WEBSITE

WEBSITE MAINTENANCE BASICS • Always design/write under the context of low-to-no maintenance. • Automate whenever possible. If you can’t maintain it, please don’t implement it. Abandoned or rarely updated content is unprofessional. • Focus on the website visitor. Make it user-centric not organization-centric. Build around services, not the organizational chart. • Fairness and/or equal promotions for all ministries is not a communications priority. Our site users are our priority. • Reduce noise and keep it simple. • Facilitate connections. Everything should offer a next step or call-to-action or email contact. • “Under Construction” or “Coming Soon” pages should not be put up as placeholders. • Print pieces are not always transferable to the web.

WRITING FOR THE WEB • People read information on the web much differently than they do printed communication. Instead of reading each line, they tend to scan the page for important content. • Use the inverted pyramid style (e.g. Information/content flows top to bottom from most important to least important) • Separate text into bulleted points • Use short phrases • Use active voice • Never use “click on” or “click here” – most web visitors know to click on a link that is pertinent to the information they are searching for. • Use meaningful sub-headings • Use a single space between sentences • Do not underline just any text. This is reserved for hyperlinks.

ENCOURAGER BRANDING STYLE GUIDE