Acts 2:1-21
Who We Are: The Uniting Church Logo and the Spirit of Pentecost
On the Day of Pentecost, the Uniting Church logo offers a powerful way to share who we are and what we are called to be — pointing to the cross, the Spirit, and the ongoing call to unity and renewal.
Telling Others Who We Are
On this special day, the Day of Pentecost, have you ever thought about how best we can tell others about who we are and what we are called to be as a Christian church?
A good way, I believe, is to point people in the direction of our Uniting Church logo. It's one of the most recognisable logos in Australia, and it is very much standing the test of time. So let's take a closer look at what it tells us.
The Cross Over a Darkened World
The cross of Jesus Christ stands over a darkened world. This tells us that the cross, in embodying the unconditional love of God, is the centre of our lives — that the cross is the heart of our faith, that it is the hope of a confused, lost world.
The Dove with Wings of Flame
The dove, with its wings of flame, symbolises the Holy Spirit. Here the dove represents peace and wellbeing. The wings of flame take us back to the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after Easter, when the followers of Jesus were empowered to be witnesses to the Lord.
The flame also tells us that the Spirit of God is alive and present today — to inspire and equip us.
The Incomplete Circle
The wide U at the bottom points to the circle that is incomplete. This tells us that we are a Uniting, not a United Church. The call for unity among Christians continues. It's an ongoing priority.
As a semicircle, the incomplete circle also reminds us that the renewing of both the church and the world is a continuing hope. It is as yet incomplete as we follow Jesus towards our promised hope.
For this is who we are.