Greater Bethel

Why it looks this way.

Typography

Libre Caslon Display is a single elegant weight, so it is set large and given air rather than made bold. Caslon is the face of the Declaration and of early Black newspapers like Freedom's Journal, which suits a church founded by freedmen two years after the war. The body is Libre Caslon Text at 18px, so the site reads like a well-printed order of service, and Schibsted Grotesk sets the labels, dates and times the way a hymn board sets its numbers.

• Libre Caslon Display headlines
• Libre Caslon Text body text
• Schibsted Grotesk labels

Color

The red is Baltimore brick, the row houses along Druid Hill Avenue and the church's own 1874 walls. The green is the copper patina on the steeple cap, used for links and small accents. The background is the soft gray-white of the marble front steps that every house on the block once scrubbed on Saturdays. In the dark theme the brick warms to a terracotta pink so it still reads on a near-black with a violet cast.

• Page #F5F3F2
• Cards #FFFFFF
• Text #1F1A21
• Brand #8A2A1F
• Accent #2E6151

Layout

A centred masthead sets the church's name like the top of a printed bulletin, with the pages running underneath in a single calm row. There are no dropdowns and no hidden menus on desktop. Everything a member looks for on a Saturday night is one click from the masthead.

Pages: Home, Worship, Church Van, Our History, Ministries, Sermons, Giving

Hero

The opening is Habakkuk 2:2, the verse carved over the 1911 doors, set beside a photograph of the Gospel Choir in their anniversary robes. It tells a visitor what kind of church this is before any button does, and it is the verse the congregation reads aloud every Founders' Day.

Calls to action

The masthead button is 'Ride the church van' because the single biggest reason members miss Sunday is getting there. The ride page opens with the request form itself. 'Worship with us at 10:45' names the hour, and giving lives on its own page.

Photography

Photographs are of Black congregations in robes, at the pulpit and in Bible study, including a woman pastor, since this congregation has been led by one since 2015. Older faces lead, because they lead here: the van section shows a driver, not a stock couple. The history page uses the few archive-feeling images we have and says plainly that the album is still being scanned.

Accessibility

Body text is 18px with contrast above 9:1. Phone numbers are written out in full on every page because many members would rather call than click. The van form asks only for what a driver needs and offers a phone number right beside it.