A pastor Straightup knows likes to say that “progressive church is not an oxymoron.” It’s a great way to introduce First Congregational Church of Bellingham, United Church of Christ — and far more illuminating than that confusing mouthful of a handle. To make matters worse, the name in recent years has often been shortened by insiders to “FCCB” — which means exactly zero to people who might be interested in finding a progressive church. Thus it came to be that, together with the church’s communications team, Straightup developed the church’s new identity with Mahria Design.

Behold: a name streamlined, an ancient-future orientation hinted through typography and tagline, and a swirling, open-ended mark (comprised of people’s heads!) symbolizing this inclusive, questioning community and its alignment with Nadia Bolz-Weber’s words: “belief should not be a basis for belonging.”