Lutheran Indian Ministries mark
2026 Brand Style Guide

Lutheran Indian
Ministries

"God Speaks in Native Tongues to Native Hearts."

Proclaim Disciple Heal
Section 01

Brand Essence & Philosophy

The LIM brand is anchored in the "Christ, the Bridge" philosophy — visually and narratively connecting Native American iconography with Christian symbols. Every design decision flows from this theological and relational core.

Proclaim

Share the Gospel in culturally grounded ways — through oral tradition, storytelling, and visual metaphors that honor Native epistemologies. Jesus is not foreign to Native hearts; He speaks their language.

Gospel Culture Story

Disciple

Equip the next generation of Indigenous leaders through programs like Haskell LIGHT at Haskell Indian Nations University — a home away from home for students from 130+ tribes.

Haskell LIGHT Leadership

Heal

Address historical trauma, addiction, and grief through biblically-grounded healing programs. The "Healing the Wounds of Trauma" program provides safe, culturally sensitive spaces for recovery.

Trauma-Informed Recovery

Trauma-Informed Design (TID) Principles

Every visual and UX decision must function as a Safe Harbor for seekers navigating pain. These principles are non-negotiable across all touchpoints.

Safety & Predictability

Consistent navigation, no jarring pop-ups, low-arousal color use. Users in crisis must never feel surprised or trapped.

Empowerment & Choice

Content warnings before trauma testimonies. "Quick Exit" button on sensitive pages. Accessibility controls for text size and contrast.

Cultural Respect

Native identity is not abandoned at the door. Design elements honor the circle, the land, oral tradition, and tribal diversity.

Collaboration

Peer support elements — prayer walls, feedback loops, community story sharing — affirm that no one heals alone.

Section 03

Official Color Palette

The palette is divided into three tiers: Core Medicine Wheel colors for brand identity and action, Atmospheric Buffers for trauma-informed background washes, and Foundation Neutrals for text and space.

East / Red — Life, Energy, New Beginnings. Used for Action: Donate buttons, critical calls-to-action.
South / Yellow — Hope, Morning, Growth. Used for Highlights: secondary buttons, impact numbers, accents.
West / White — Spirit, Reflection. Used for negative space, breathable layouts, and low-anxiety interfaces.
North / Black — Strength, Wisdom. Used only within the brand mark itself for maximum identity impact.
Core Medicine Wheel Colors
A
LIM Red
#ED1C24  ·  rgb(237, 28, 36)
Primary action color. "Donate" buttons, alerts, "Need Help?" CTAs. Use sparingly to avoid signaling danger.
Buttons CTA Alerts Proclaim
A
LIM Yellow
#FFDE16  ·  rgb(255, 222, 22)
Hope and highlight color. Impact numbers, secondary outline buttons, icon accents. Always pair with dark text for accessibility.
Highlights Numbers Accents Disciple
A
LIM Black
#000000  ·  rgb(0, 0, 0)
Used exclusively within the brand mark for maximum strength. Do not use as body text — use Charcoal instead for softer reading experience.
Mark Only Outlines
Atmospheric Buffers — Trauma-Informed
A
Sage Green
#B2AC88  ·  rgb(178, 172, 136)
Healing & Earth. Backgrounds for Trauma Healing pages. Card borders for the "Heal" pillar.
Heal Pages Backgrounds
A
Soft Sky Blue
#A2C2D1  ·  rgb(162, 194, 209)
Water & Peace. "Need Help?" and crisis resource sections. The seeker CTA button and safe harbor navigation elements.
Crisis Sections Seeker CTA
A
Stone Gray
#EBE9E4  ·  rgb(235, 233, 228)
Natural & Warm. Backgrounds for long-form reading: newsletters, blog posts, resource pages. Reduces eye strain for extended reading.
Reading BG Blog Cards
Foundation Neutrals
Aa
Charcoal
#282924  ·  rgb(40, 41, 36)
Primary text. All body copy, headings, and UI text. Softer than pure black — reduces eye strain while maintaining strong contrast. Also used for the navigation bar background and footer.
Body Text Headings Nav Bar Footer
Aa
White
#FFFFFF  ·  rgb(255, 255, 255)
Generous negative space. A "breathable," low-anxiety interface requires ample white space. Never compress content — white space is not wasted space.
Negative Space Card BG Reversed Text
Accessibility Note

LIM Yellow (#FFDE16) on White fails WCAG AA for small text. Always pair with Charcoal text (#282924) or use only for decorative/large display elements. LIM Red on White passes AA at 4.5:1 for body text. Charcoal on White exceeds AAA at 14.7:1.

Section 04

Typography System

Three typefaces form a deliberate hierarchy: Merriweather carries theological depth and warmth; Barlow Condensed delivers modern, action-oriented energy; Open Sans ensures readability for elders, mobile users, and long-form content.

Merriweather — Heading & Editorial Serif
God Speaks in
Native Tongues.
Healing Historical Wounds
"I didn't know I could be Native and follow Jesus until I came here."
FontMerriweather
Weights300, 400, 700, 900
Use ForPage titles, quotes, editorial headers, pull quotes
SourceGoogle Fonts (free)
Barlow Condensed — UI, Buttons & Subheadings
LUTHERAN INDIAN MINISTRIES
Section 01 — Brand Philosophy  ·  Campus Ministry  ·  Ways to Give
Fuel the Mission Start Your Journey Learn More
FontBarlow Condensed
Weights400, 600, 700, 800
Use ForNavigation, buttons, labels, all-caps subheads, stat labels
StyleUppercase preferred for UI elements
Open Sans — Body & Reading Text
Lutheran Indian Ministries is a Native-led ministry dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel, discipling leaders, and healing historical wounds in Native American and Alaska Native communities.
For over 35 years, LIM has walked alongside Indigenous communities — not as an outside force, but as a ministry rising from within. Every program, every partnership, every story flows from the conviction that Jesus meets Native hearts in their own language and cultural context.
Caption text: Photos courtesy Lutheran Indian Ministries. All rights reserved. Serving Native Nations Since 1985.
FontOpen Sans
Weights300, 400, 600, 700
Use ForBody text, captions, form labels, newsletter copy
Line Height1.7–1.8 for body; 1.5 for UI

Type Scale Reference

Style Font Size Weight Use
H1 Hero Merriweather 48–64px 900 Hero section headline
H2 Section Merriweather 32–42px 700 Section & page titles
H3 Subhead Merriweather 22–28px 400 Italic Pull quotes, sub-sections
UI HEADER Barlow Cond 18–28px 800 Caps Program titles, card headers
LABEL / TAG Barlow Cond 11–14px 700 Caps Nav links, section labels, tags
Body Large Open Sans 17–18px 400 Intro paragraphs, feature text
Body Regular Open Sans 15–16px 400 Standard body copy, articles
Caption / Fine Print Open Sans 12–13px 400 Photo captions, legal, footnotes
Section 05

Voice & Messaging

LIM speaks to two distinct audiences simultaneously. All messaging must bridge the Seeker (Native community members seeking healing) and the Donor (primarily Lutheran supporters stewarding resources for the mission).

Donor Path — "Fuel the Mission"

  • Tone: Trustworthy, transparent, mission-driven
  • Lead with impact outcomes ("$35 = one student's Bible & study materials")
  • Emphasize "Native-Led" as a trust differentiator
  • Reference Charity Navigator rating and audited financials
  • Language: "Stewardship," "Gospel," "Mission," "Faithful Partner"
  • CTA Color: LIM Red — high urgency, high contrast
  • Show financial transparency before asking for gifts

Seeker Path — "Find Healing"

  • Tone: Warm, safe, non-institutional, relational
  • Never say "you need to change your identity"
  • Lead with belonging: "You don't have to stop being Native"
  • Prioritize "Healing Groups," crisis resources, local contacts
  • Language: "Journey," "Healing," "Community," "Welcome Home"
  • CTA Color: Sky Blue / Sage — calm, inviting, non-urgent
  • Trauma warnings before sensitive content
"I didn't know I could be Native and follow Jesus until I came here."
— Student, Haskell LIGHT Campus Ministry

Tone Principles

Relational, Not Institutional

Speak person-to-person. Avoid bureaucratic language. Use first and second person.

Hopeful, Not Preachy

Share truth with grace. Avoid condescension or urgency that creates anxiety.

Specific, Not Generic

Name real people, real places (Haskell, Billings, Anchorage), real outcomes. Numbers matter.

Culturally Grounded

Honor oral tradition, storytelling, and visual metaphor. Avoid the "savior" narrative entirely.

Section 06

UI Components

Core reusable components that express the brand at every interaction. All components must maintain WCAG AA contrast ratios and be accessible via keyboard navigation.

Button System
On Dark Background
Fuel the Mission Start Your Journey Find a Healing Group
On Light Background
Donate Now Learn More Need Help? Request Prayer

Button text: Barlow Condensed 700, uppercase, 0.1em letter-spacing. Corner radius: 3px. Padding: 14px 28px (standard) / 9px 18px (small).

Navigation Bar
Who We Are Our Work Resources Events

Sticky navigation. "Need Help?" uses Sky Blue for calm urgency. "Donate" uses LIM Red for high visibility. Logo height: 32–40px in nav context.

Three Pillars — Program Cards
✝
Proclaim

Sharing Jesus in a way that honors Native culture — through story, oral tradition, and visual metaphors that resonate.

Learn More
★
Disciple

Equipping the next generation of Indigenous leaders through Haskell LIGHT and campus ministry programs.

Explore Haskell LIGHT
♥
Heal

Biblical healing for grief, addiction, and historical trauma. Find a healing group near you.

Find a Healing Group

Top accent: 5px bar in pillar color. Icon circles: 20% opacity of pillar color. Card background: #fff with subtle shadow.

Impact Dashboard
15,000+
Students Reached
100+
Healing Groups Active
$1.7M
Invested in Native Ministry

Numbers: Merriweather 900 in LIM Yellow. Labels: Barlow Condensed 600 in rgba(255,255,255,0.6). Background: Charcoal. Animate on scroll with countUp.js.

Smart Giving Widget

Make an Immediate Impact

$50/month supports one Haskell LIGHT student for a semester.
Give $50 Monthly
Apple Pay Google Pay Visa Mastercard

Default to "Monthly." Tie each amount to a specific outcome. Apple Pay and Google Pay dramatically reduce friction. Embed form directly — never redirect to PayPal.

Section 07

Digital & UX Standards

Digital touchpoints must balance high-performance donor conversion with a trauma-informed, low-arousal experience for seekers. These standards are binding for all web, email, and digital asset production.

Imagery Standards

  • Authentic photography only — no stock images of Native people
  • Warm color grade on all photos (reduce cool tones)
  • Faces of real students, elders, and healing circle participants
  • Circle motif (Medicine Wheel) for image frames and icons
  • Avoid "trauma porn" — no exploitative suffering imagery
  • Obtain full consent and release for all community photography

Navigation Strategy

  • Dual-path navigation: Seeker vs. Donor clearly differentiated
  • "Need Help?" in Sky Blue — always above the fold
  • "Donate" in LIM Red — right-side of nav, always visible
  • Max 5 items in primary navigation
  • Sticky header on scroll for persistent access
  • No jarring popups — use inline smart nudges only

Performance & Accessibility

  • Target: <3s page load on 3G (reservation mobile users)
  • Serve WebP images with lazy loading
  • All interactive elements keyboard accessible
  • All images have descriptive alt text
  • Video: captions required; transcripts for all audio
  • WCAG 2.1 AA minimum across all pages

Donation & Giving

  • Embedded giving — never redirect to external processor
  • Apple Pay / Google Pay enabled (reduces friction to <10s)
  • Default to Monthly giving; gently nudge one-time donors
  • Remove non-essential form fields (no County, Organization)
  • Dedicated "Smart Giving" page for stocks, DAFs, crypto
  • Display Charity Navigator & GuideStar seals near donate button

Sensitive Content & TID

  • Content warnings overlay before trauma/abuse testimonies
  • "Quick Exit" button (redirects to Google) on crisis pages
  • Crisis hotlines visible on all healing-related pages
  • No autoplay video with sound on any page
  • Avoid red backgrounds on healing/crisis sections
  • Offer text-size and contrast accessibility controls

SEO & Content Strategy

  • Target: "Native American trauma healing," "Indigenous Christian ministry"
  • Avoid reliance on generic scripture verse keywords
  • Podcast transcripts required for all Sacred Connections episodes
  • Healing group pages indexed by location (Billings, Anchorage, etc.)
  • GA4 conversion events: Donations, Signups, PDF Downloads
  • Cookiebot for GDPR/CCPA compliance

Required Trust Signals

★★★
Charity Navigator
3-Star Rating
✦ Platinum
GuideStar
Platinum Seal
501(c)(3)
Tax-Exempt
Verified
Since 1985
Native-Led
& Board Governed

Display all four trust signals in the footer on every page. Place Charity Navigator and GuideStar seals within visual proximity of the "Donate" button.

Section 08

Do's & Don'ts

These rules protect the brand's integrity and cultural respect. Violations dilute trust with both Native communities and donors.

Logo Usage

Do

  • Use the provided SVG files at all times for crisp rendering
  • Maintain clear space equal to the cap-height of "L" on all sides
  • Use -over-dark-background.svg on dark backgrounds — it has white text built in
  • Use the primary horizontal stacked version as the default
  • Use only Charcoal (#282924) for logo text in light contexts
  • Scale proportionally — never stretch or compress

Don't

  • Never recreate the logo in a different typeface
  • Never place the logo on a busy photographic background without overlay
  • Never use LIM Yellow as the text color for the wordmark
  • Never apply CSS filters or color inversion to any logo file
  • Never add drop shadows, glows, or 3D effects
  • Never rotate or distort the mark
  • Never use the mark alone if the full name hasn't been established

Color Usage

Do

  • Use LIM Red sparingly — as a high-signal action color only
  • Pair LIM Yellow with Charcoal text for WCAG-compliant readability
  • Use Sage Green and Sky Blue for healing-focused content sections
  • Use Stone Gray for long-form reading backgrounds
  • Allow generous White space throughout all layouts

Don't

  • Never use LIM Red as a background on trauma/healing pages
  • Never use LIM Yellow as text on a white background (fails contrast)
  • Never use LIM Black for body text — use Charcoal instead
  • Never introduce off-brand colors (e.g., purples, teals, oranges)
  • Never use high-contrast red/green color pairings (accessibility)

Imagery & Cultural Representation

Do

  • Use authentic photography of actual LIM communities and students
  • Apply warm color grading to all imagery
  • Feature faces of Native elders, leaders, and youth prominently
  • Obtain signed photo consent and releases for all people shown
  • Frame images with the circle motif when used decoratively
  • Show joy, community, belonging, and resilience

Don't

  • Never use stock photos of generic Native Americans
  • Never use historical or archival imagery of boarding schools without explicit context
  • Never use exploitative "poverty" imagery ("trauma porn")
  • Never show ceremonial or sacred cultural items without tribal permission
  • Never position Native people as passive recipients — show agency
  • Never use headdresses, dreamcatchers, or pan-tribal stereotypes