At The Gathering Place Church in Moody, Ala., their heart “is to connect you with a life-giving community, help you realize your full potential, and equip you to make an eternal impact.”
To do that, they’ve decided to ask the people of their town, “What will your story be?”
The Gathering Place is a United Methodist Church with a modern charismatic expression in Moody, Ala., a small town near Birmingham. Planted by Pastor Matt Scott in 2011, they’ve worked hard to serve their community and church body in innovative ways.
With a sizeable underprivileged population, including those on the edge of poverty, the people of Moody often face circumstances that cause them to feel stuck where they are in life. If there’s hope for change, they aren’t always sure where to find it or how to make it happen.
And, typical of many southern towns, the idea of “church” has always been there. But for much of the de-churched population, the feeling is, “Church is what people do on Sundays—and what I used to do on Sundays.”
The Gathering Place is changing that.
Despite facing opposition, at their core, the people of Moody want more—to be the best version of themselves and live a life full of purpose.
But somewhere along the way, their story stalled. The Gathering Place wanted to address that core need and challenge.
As a church, The Gathering Place holds an inspiring message of hope for the people of their city. It’s a hope that says God sees them for who they are and loves them genuinely. It’s a hope that focuses on God’s promise to care for His people.
They were ready to take a step toward clear, inspiring branding that delivered that message to those who needed to hear it most. That’s when they called ArtSpeak.
ArtSpeak worked with The Gathering Place on a three-phase branding process.
It began with deep discovery. We worked to uncover the heart behind the church’s call to reach the people in Moody. We wanted to show how their mission—to lead people into a growing and personal relationship with Christ—aligned with their audience’s challenges, hopes, and fears.
This core motivation led to a personalized Messaging Blueprint highlighting areas where The Gathering Place could bring value to its audience. It offered practical and spiritual opportunities for the people of Moody, Ala., to find healthy relationships, live with purpose, and feel confident in their life decisions.
And, it gave The Gathering Place a simple way to lean into the lives of its people: by asking, “What will your story be?”
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In addition to the messaging, ArtSpeak and The Gathering Place worked to develop a visual identity that stood out while allowing for future innovation.
We landed on a minimalist style, a neutral color palette, high black-and-white contrast, and plenty of white space. This look reflected the grounded, foundational feel that The Gathering Place hoped to establish for its audience: a safe place where you can start where you are and reach for more.
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Today, The Gathering place uses its inspiring message and clean visual brand to invite more people into a new story and experience the hope of that invitation.
Want a look behind the scenes? See the mood board that inspired this brand.
“ArtSpeak recently helped us with a rebranding project for our church and we could not be happier with the results. Their creative and artistic design speaks for itself. What impressed us most though was the care and attention they provided to us throughout the process. When going through a rebranding process, you ultimately have to entrust your story to others. They handled it delicately and skillfully and we’re thrilled with the outcome. If you’re on the fence about partnering with ArtSpeak, don’t be. They will exceed your expectations!” Eric Eason Executive Pastor The Gathering Place
