The Ark, a contemporary non-denominational church in Magnolia, TX, is a community built on core values like being Jesus-centered, faith-filled, and generosity-minded, focusing on serving people and the community. Guided by God's eternal truths, the church shapes every aspect of its ministry to reflect a deep commitment to faith and service. Although they are a newer church, their rapid growth and strong membership highlight their connection to their congregation and the surrounding area. With this momentum, they are preparing for an exciting new chapter—expanding their space.
The "Milestones" campaign is pivotal in helping The Ark secure the building and 20 acres they currently lease—a space at the heart of their growing community. This campaign is about more than property; it's about creating a permanent home where their members can thrive and expand. Inspired by the verse Joshua 4:7, "These stones are to be a memorial to the people of God forever," the name "Milestones" reflects the church's journey of faith, marking where they've been and are heading.
Launching a capital campaign comes with excitement and challenges for churches entering a season of growth. Effectively conveying the essence of an initiative in a clear, cohesive, and inspiring manner is quite an undertaking. It takes careful planning and thoughtful design to ensure every element works together to narrate the story. The materials also need to resonate with various donors, such as church members, church staff, and the broader community. The Ark understood the complexity and significance of these aspects and chose to collaborate with Abstract Union. Our shared goal was to craft campaign materials that reflected the warmth of this welcoming community and excitement for the changes to come.
We chose a dynamic font style with varying thicknesses to convey movement and progress. The color palette was rooted in Magnolia's natural tones, including stone-inspired hues, a grounding plant-like green, and an orange-red accent used to highlight key moments. Geometric shapes were a key feature, symbolizing milestones and creating a cohesive look across all designs.
A New Beginning with a Campaign Logo
A great campaign theme logo is the visual heartbeat of a campaign, creating a strong identity that ties everything together and makes materials instantly recognizable. We used a serif font with a modern vintage vibe for The Ark. The serif on the "M" extended across the length of the word, connecting to a dot with a horizon—a symbol of both infinity and new beginnings. This thoughtful detail beautifully reflects God's eternal presence and the exciting horizons ahead for the church.
Bring Everything Together in a Campaign Booklet
The campaign case statement booklet is where all the details, heart, and vision come together in one place. For The Ark, it became a tool to not only share important information but also to connect with the community on a personal level. A stone-tan background anchored the design, creating a sense of warmth and stability. A sans-serif font added a casual yet vintage feel, making the content approachable while showcasing all the essential information. A plant-green border framed the pages to tie everything together, giving the booklet a polished flow from start to finish. Throughout the booklet, pictures of the church's community brought the campaign to life, showing the people who this important effort would impact.
Taking the Next Step with a Pledge Card & Offering Envelope
The pledge card is one of the most essential tools in a capital campaign, helping community members turn their generosity into a concrete plan. We designed The Ark's pledge card to be engaging and easy to complete. On the front, organic shapes with differing edges were stacked vertically beneath the campaign logo, symbolizing the stones laid to build something lasting and meaningful. The back was broken into clear, color-coded sections, making it easy for donors to map out their giving plan. Every element of the pledge card feels approachable while staying deeply connected to the heart of the campaign.
Offering envelopes might be small, but they play a significant role in a capital campaign by making it easy for people to give while staying connected to the bigger picture. We designed an envelope for The Ark that was simple to use but packed with meaning. On the front, space for key details was thoughtfully organized with color blocking and clear labels in a clean, easy-to-read sans serif font. The back tied everything together with the campaign logo surrounded by organic shapes that build upward towards the flap—a subtle reminder of the foundation laid with every contribution.
Celebrate the Big Wins with Invite Cards
Invite cards are a simple but effective way to bring people into the heart of a campaign, especially in the early stages. They're perfect for inviting the community to informational meetings or updating everyone on the project's progress. The Ark wanted a card they could hand out to invite church and community members to come and learn more about the initiative. Important dates, like meeting times and campaign milestones, were placed inside mustard-yellow shapes on each side, making them easy to spot. A light orange line connected the horizon dot in the campaign logo on the front to another horizon dot on the back, encouraging readers to flip the card over and learn more. The Bible verse on the front serves as a reminder of the campaign's purpose and goals.
The Ark's capital campaign materials reflect the church's contemporary style and the deeper meaning behind their faith journey. Drawing inspiration from the campaign's theme and Bible verse, the visuals balance modern, minimalist elements with intentional details emphasizing growth and milestones. Every aspect of the campaign's visuals is crafted to resonate with the church's identity and inspire a sense of forward momentum. Abstract Union collaborated with The Ark's team throughout the design process to ensure that every piece aligned with their mission, values, and unique initiative. By combining thoughtful design with a deep understanding of the church's story, we created deliverables that informed and inspired.
At Abstract Union, we understand how challenging bringing a capital campaign to life can be. The process can feel overwhelming, from aligning every detail with your initiative to creating materials that inspire real action. We partner with organizations like The Ark to simplify the complex and turn vision into reality. Our passion is creating campaign materials that are as unique as the organizations we work with—materials that don't just look beautiful but serve a deeper purpose.
If you'd like to see another example of how thoughtful design can transform a campaign, check out our work with The Way: Future-Forward Church Capital Campaign Design For The Way. We created modern, striking materials that combined intentional design with a clear vision.
Are you ready to take your capital campaign to the next level? Whether you're launching a new initiative or preparing for growth, we're here to help. Let's collaborate to craft campaign materials that inspire, connect, and move your community forward. Contact us today to start your journey!
