# Highlands Fellowship Brand Guidelines

## Who We Are

Highlands Fellowship is a church in Abingdon, Virginia, built around a simple mission: **Know God. Find Community. Make a Difference.**

Our brand reflects who we are as a congregation — warm, welcoming, and authentic. We communicate like a trusted friend: approachable without being shallow, spiritually grounded without being stiff. Every touchpoint, from a Sunday bulletin to a social media post, should feel like it belongs to the same family.

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## Voice & Tone

### We Sound Like

- A welcoming neighbor who's genuinely glad you're here
- Clear and direct — we say what we mean without burying the point
- Encouraging and hope-filled
- Human, not institutional

### We Don't Sound Like

- A formal religious organization issuing pronouncements
- A corporate entity hiding behind passive voice
- Overly casual or flippant about serious matters
- Trendy for the sake of being trendy

### Tone Descriptors

**Warm** — People should feel invited, not evaluated.
**Welcoming** — Every communication assumes the reader might be brand new.
**Clear** — Simple language over impressive language.
**Encouraging** — We point toward hope and possibility.
**Authentic** — Real stories, real people, real faith.

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## Writing Conventions

These rules keep our communications consistent across teams and channels.

**Times:** Write `6pm` not `6:00 PM`.

**Dates:** Write `Thursday, Dec. 25` not `Thursday, December 25th`.

**Oxford comma:** Optional. Skip it for aesthetics when it reads naturally. Whatever you choose, stay consistent within a single document.

**The plus sign:** The `+` sign may be used in place of "and" in graphics and social posts when it fits visually (e.g., *Community + Purpose*).

**Numbers:** Spell out one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and above.

**Capitalization:** "Church" is not capitalized unless it's part of a proper name.

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## Colors

### Primary: Navy Blue `#0b1d41`
Our primary brand color. Use for headers, hero backgrounds, primary buttons, and dark overlays on photos and videos.

### Secondary: Teal `#55b6b2`
Our secondary brand color. Use for section accents, icon fills, and teal-background logo placements.

### Accent: Yellow `#F5B731`
Used primarily in text form — headings, callouts, section titles. Use sparingly as a fill. Never the dominant background color in everyday communications.

### Neutral: Dark Gray `#3d3d3d`
Standard body copy color on white backgrounds. Black (`#000000`) is also acceptable for body text.

### Vision Gradient
A teal-to-yellow gradient reserved for high-impact campaign graphics and sermon series artwork. Not for everyday communications.

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## Typography

**Roboto Slab Medium** is the sole authorized typeface for all Highlands Fellowship communications.

| Use | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Large Heading | 30pt | Roboto Slab Medium |
| Sub-heading / Body Heading | 18pt | Roboto Slab Medium |
| Body Copy | 12pt / 16pt leading | Roboto Slab Medium |

Body copy color is dark gray (`#3d3d3d`) or black on white backgrounds.

Roboto Slab is available free from [Google Fonts](https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Roboto+Slab).

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## Logo Usage

### The H Mark (Primary)
The circular "H" monogram is our primary logo mark. Use it on social media profiles, metal signage, merch, app icons, and anywhere a compact, recognizable brand identifier is needed.

### The Wordmark (Secondary)
The script "Highlands Fellowship" wordmark is our secondary logo. Use it on the homepage, printed materials, and anywhere the full church name provides needed context.

### The Combination Mark
The H mark + wordmark together, for contexts where maximum brand recognition is needed and space allows.

### Approved Backgrounds
Logos may be placed on:
- White or near-white surfaces (use dark/navy logo)
- Navy Blue `#0b1d41` (use white/light logo)
- Teal `#55b6b2` (use white/light logo)
- Photos with a navy overlay applied (use white/light logo)

Avoid busy, patterned, or unapproved background colors.

### Logo Variant Rules
- **Light (white) logos** → use on navy, teal, or photo backgrounds
- **Dark (navy) logos** → use on white or light backgrounds

### Clearspace
Maintain clear space equal to the height of the H mark on all sides of any logo.

### What to Avoid
- Do not stretch or distort any logo
- Do not recolor logos outside of the provided light/dark variants
- Do not add drop shadows, outlines, or other effects
- Do not place logos on unapproved backgrounds or busy patterns

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## Photo Treatment

When using photography as a background in graphic applications, apply a navy blue overlay for brand consistency and text legibility:

1. Desaturate the image to 0% saturation
2. Apply a Navy Blue (`#0b1d41`) color overlay at 40–70% opacity using Multiply blend mode
3. Ensure white text remains clearly legible over the treated image

Adjust opacity based on the contrast of the source photo.

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## Reference Points

The best places to see our brand in action:

- **Homepage:** [HF.Church](https://hf.church)
- **Social media** (Instagram, Facebook)
- **Email newsletters**
- **"The Path" book**
- **Welcome Card (bulletin)**