How a fresh brand for Edmond, Oklahoma's oldest church is attracting a broader demographic

How a fresh brand for Edmond, Oklahoma's oldest church is attracting a broader demographic

First Christian Church Edmond

By: Laura Lopez | Case Studies Church Branding

History in the Making

For over 120 years, the mission of First Christian Church (FCC) Edmond has been simple: to empower the people of Edmond, Oklahoma, to form spacious faith and embody Jesus’ love. And that is exactly what they’re known for in their community.

Located in the heart of the art district in downtown Edmond, this historic church has been making an impact. From its weekly Breakfast on the Boulevard, an outreach that has fed the unhoused locally since the 1990s, to its Child Care Center, one of the oldest in the city, it’s putting Jesus’ love into action.

How a fresh brand for Edmond, Oklahoma's oldest church is attracting a broader demographic

A heart to reach a growing community

Though their historical roots run deep, the city around them began attracting a younger demographic in recent years, leading to a disconnect between the church’s brand and the forward-trending community. They desired to reach younger people and create an inviting space that empowers a more diverse audience to feel safe asking hard questions about faith.

The FCC Edmond lead team felt it was time to shift their inherited brand and extend their reach to future generations.

That’s when they called on the collaborators at ArtSpeak Creative to help.

Crafting a Cohesive Vision

Our writing and strategy teams packed up and headed to Oklahoma for an in-depth onsite consultation at FCC Edmond. Over the course of a weekend, we attended services, got to know congregants, hosted staff discovery sessions, and saw for ourselves what made this city so attractive to a younger demographic.

Our team saw firsthand why FCC Edmond felt so strongly about making their church brand feel more cohesive with the visuals of the art district developing around them. Geographically, they had a unique position in their city that they could reflect in their brand.

Through a close collaboration process, the ArtSpeak teams brainstormed a reimagined mission, vision, and set of core values for the church to structure around.

At the core of FCC Edmond’s heart and message is a passion to be inclusive and a pursuit to be engaged in the community. We adapted their mission statement to put active words to the impact they’re already making in Edmond:

“First Christian Church of Edmond empowers people to form spacious faith and embody Jesus’ love.”

With a clear mission, we formed their forward-reaching vision:

“We are a diverse church called to close gaps for people in our city so they can experience God’s love.”

This new language speaks to both where they’ve been and where they’re going.

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Redefining Reputation with Open-Door Messaging

Standing in Edmond for over a hundred years, FCC Edmond grasped the foundation of its identity and the needs of its community. But it needed to communicate its life-changing message in a fresh way to an audience that potentially held false assumptions about the church (and the Church in general).

The key was crafting a message that would effectively communicate a reputation the church wanted to withstand another hundred years: that they don’t exist to preach tradition, but to embody the compassion and action of Jesus’s love for Edmond.

We identified a brand promise and one-liner that communicated the core message:

Open tables. Spacious faith. Love in action for all people. At First Christian Church, we open our doors and tables for all kinds of people to meet each other, explore spacious faith together, and live united in love to make Edmond a better place for everyone.

With their new message came a new boldness that equipped and empowered their team to connect with both the current members and the target demographic: the young families in Edmond.

How a fresh brand for Edmond, Oklahoma's oldest church is attracting a broader demographic

A Visual Identity Inspired by Edmond’s Art District

FCC Edmond is a Disciples of Christ congregation, and for years they used the standard Disciples of Christ’s emblem of the cup and cross. It was a central aspect of their brand identity and history. But they wanted to rebrand their overall look to create a distinct visual identity within their community.

The goal was to capture a lighter, more energetic design that would make sense to a younger audience and unify the art district in Edmond.

Their updated logo is fun and inviting with a nod to their roots. The vibrant and dimensional animated stained glass appearance and communion cup pair deep history with artistic relevance. ArtSpeak designers worked to capture the history of what was and visually invite people into the vision of what will be through the church’s refreshed look.

Deep Roots and New Branches

Since the rollout of their new brand, FCC Edmond has grown, drawing in a younger audience while inspiring their legacy members. Their branding doesn’t just appeal to a younger audience but fully captures who they are as a church and the heart they have for their surrounding community.

How a fresh brand for Edmond, Oklahoma's oldest church is attracting a broader demographic

How could a rebrand expand your reach?

Every brand tells a story that someone needs to hear. What will yours say? Schedule your free consultation call and let’s discover how to better reach your community together.