Midweek Musing 6/24/2026

More Than a Logo

Several folks have asked me recently about the symbol and seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

You may have seen it on bulletins, banners, websites, church signs, letterhead, or perhaps on something official enough to make you assume someone in Louisville had a committee, a subcommittee, a task force, and at least three amendments before approving it.

Which, knowing Presbyterians, is not entirely out of the question.

But since the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is gathering this week, it seems like a good time to pause and look at this symbol that represents our denomination.

Because it is easy to see the PC(USA) seal as just a logo.

And we live in a world full of logos.

We see the red and white script of Coca-Cola and know exactly what it means.

We see the golden arches and suddenly somebody in the car wants fries.

We see the Disney font and my family begins dreaming of a world where we could live there permanently. Not just visit. Live there. Preferably in the apartment inside Cinderella’s Castle.

However churches are not businesses.

The church is not Coca-Cola.

The church is not Disney.

Although, to be fair, we do sometimes have meetings long enough to feel like we are waiting in line for Space Mountain.

Since the church is not a business like those I mentioned then the PC(USA) symbol is also not meant to be a corporate logo or branding designed to sell us something. Indeed, it is meant to remind us of who we are. It is theology in picture form. It is a small visual sermon. It is a reminder of our rich and abiding history, our Reformed faith, and our calling as followers of the Way of Jesus.

At first glance, the symbol looks like a cross.

And that is exactly where it should begin.

The cross is the central shape, because Christ is the center of the church. Not our buildings. Not our programs. Not our committees. Not even our beloved Presbyterian Book of Order, as wonderful as it can be when used properly and not as an excuse to avoid change until Jesus returns.

Simply put the cross reminds us that we belong to Jesus Christ, whose love was made visible in humility, suffering, sacrifice, and resurrection. It reminds us that the church does not exist for itself. We exist because of Christ and for Christ.

But as you look more closely, the symbol begins to open up.

Within the cross, there is the shape of an open book. That book reminds us of Scripture. As Presbyterians in the Reformed tradition, we have always taken Scripture seriously. We gather around the Word read and proclaimed. We listen for God’s voice. We wrestle with the text. We ask questions. We study. We interpret. We sometimes have five opinions in a room of four Presbyterians, but the hope is that we keep returning to Scripture together, trusting that God is still speaking through the witness of prophets, apostles, poets, and gospel writers.

The symbol also suggests a pulpit or lectern beneath that open book.

That matters too.

Preaching has always had an important place in Presbyterian worship. Not because preachers are especially wonderful, though please feel free to tell your pastor that from time to time. We all need encouragement. But preaching matters because we believe the Word of God is not trapped in the past. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Scripture continues to speak into our lives, our church, our community, and our world.

Then at the top of the cross, there is the shape of a descending dove.

The dove points us to the Holy Spirit.

That is important because we do not read Scripture alone. We do not worship alone. We do not discern alone. The Spirit guides, challenges, comforts, and sometimes pushes us in directions we would not have chosen on our own.

That is worth remembering, especially for Presbyterians.

We can be tempted to think that if we just get the agenda right, follow Robert’s Rules, appoint the right task force, and use the term discernment enough times, we can manage the church into faithfulness.

But the church is not managed into faithfulness.

The church is breathed into faithfulness.

The same Spirit who descended at Jesus’ baptism, the same Spirit who moved over the waters of creation, the same Spirit who came upon the church at Pentecost, still moves among us.

Which brings us to the flames.

The flames in the symbol remind us of several things at once. They echo the burning bush, where God called Moses from holy ground. They remind us of Pentecost, when the Spirit rested on the disciples like tongues of fire and sent them into the world to share good news. They also form a triangle, reminding us of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

That triangle also points us toward something very Presbyterian: shared leadership.

We believe authority in the church is not meant to rest in one person alone. Ministers and elders serve together. Congregations, sessions, presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly are all part of a larger connectional church. At our best, we trust that God works through the wisdom of the gathered body.

At our worst, this means we can turn a simple question into a 45-minute discussion.

But at our best, it means we are committed to listening for Christ together.

That is a gift.

In a world that often rewards the loudest voice, Presbyterian government says, “Let us pray, listen, discuss, yes -discern, and seek the mind of Christ together.”

We do not always do that perfectly.

No church does.

But the symbol reminds us that this is part of our calling.

And there are even more layers. Some people see in the dove the shape of a fish, one of the earliest symbols for Christ. Others see hints of a baptismal font or a communion cup. That is part of the beauty of the symbol. It is simple enough to recognize, but rich enough to keep revealing meaning the longer you look.

I like that.

Because faith is like that too.

At first glance, we may think we understand it.

Love God.

Follow Jesus.

Be kind.

Do justice.

Love mercy.

Walk humbly.

And yes, all of that is true.

But the longer we live with faith, the more layers we discover. Grace is deeper than we thought. Mercy is wider than we imagined. Scripture is richer than we assumed. The Spirit is more surprising than we expected. The church, for all its flaws and frustrations, is more beautiful than we sometimes remember.

That is why symbols matter.

Not because they replace faith.

Not because they save us.

Not because they make us better than anyone else.

But because they remind us.

The PC(USA) seal reminds us that we are not simply members of an organization. We are part of the body of Christ.

We are not consumers of religious goods and services. We are disciples.

We are not a franchise. We are a community of believers.

We are not held together by a logo, a building, a budget, or even a Book of Order, though because of my daughter Sydney’s prodding I now love a good footnote in the Book of Order and Robert’s Rules more than I probably should.

Friend, we are held together by Jesus Christ.

The cross stands at the center.

The Scriptures open before us.

The Spirit descends upon us.

The pulpit calls us to listen.

The flames send us into the world.

The Trinity holds us in love.

And the whole symbol quietly reminds us that our life together is not about preserving an institution for its own sake. It is about bearing witness to the good news of Jesus Christ in a world that is hurting, divided, weary, and hungry for hope.

So… the next time you see the PC(USA) seal, I hope you do not see just a logo.

See a story.

See a history.

See a confession of faith.

See a reminder that we belong to Christ and to one another.

See a call to worship, study, serve, welcome, discern, and love.

And maybe, if you look closely enough, see the Spirit still descending, the flames still burning, and Christ still calling the church to follow him into the world God so loves.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Alleluia Amen.