Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing

This style manual was created to improve the content, appearance, and consistency of our Web site and the printed materials we distribute for external use, such as brochures. It includes some basic guidelines for use of the UUCWC name and logo, as well as suggestions for use of typefaces on your Web page.

Please take the time to read this and refer to it often. It will improve the quality of our work, preserve the integrity of our communications, and create a professional public impression.

Our name

We are the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing. “The” is not part of our name and should not be capitalized.

Typefaces and typesetting

General guidelines

Display type. Our primary font for display type, such as headlines, is Georgia Bold. This font was selected because (1) as a serifed font, it is generally easier to read on the Web (and easier for older eyes) than fonts without serifs, and (2) it is readily available on PCs and Macs.

Text. The secondary font, for text and subheads, is up to the user. We recommend Georgia, Times, Garamond, or Albertina, which are nice complements to Georgia Bold. But if you are trying to create a look or a mood for, say, a poster, you may use whatever font you please. We recommend that you not use more than two font families, as having too many fonts on a page looks unprofessional.

10 Tips for your page on the UUCWC Web site

What you can’t control. On our Web site, headlines, subheads within text, and hyperlinks are automatically set in Georgia. Headers for modules, i.e., distinct sections of the home page or another Web page, are automatically set in ALL CAPITALS.

What you can control. Text you add to your Web page is automatically set in Georgia. You can, however, style the text (using bold, italic, etc.). Here are some guidelines to make your Web page look clean, professional, and consistent with the rest of the site:

•    Bold text is for subheads (meaning titles of sections) within your text.
•    Italic text is nice for emphasis and for block (long) quotes, but avoid overuse of it.
•    Underlined and strikethrough text should be used sparingly.
•    Justification can be set to left, center, or right. For most purposes, we recommend left justification with ragged right edges.
•    Indentation: Do not indent the start of new paragraphs.
Other considerations for making Web pages look professional and easy to read:
•    Headlines and subheads at the top of your page should start with capital letters, except for conjunctions (and, but, or, etc.) and prepositions (for, to, etc.) of three letters or fewer.
•    For readability’s sake, break text into paragraphs frequently.
•    Avoid setting long blocks of text or your entire page in italics, bold, or ALL CAPS, which is considered poor Web etiquette.
•    Spell check your page before it goes live.
•    Photo sizes: Maximum size should be 800×600 pixels to avoid page rendering issues.

UUCWC logo

The UUCWC logo comprises both the chalice and the taglines “Join the Journey. Open to You.”

As part of UUCWC’s “branding” strategy, we strive to maintain consistent use of our logo. You are an important part of helping us with the success of this campaign. When using the logo, please keep these 10 basic dos and don’ts in mind:

When using the logo, you are encouraged to:
•    Use the logo in its entirety. The chalice and taglines should always be used together.
•    Place the logo anywhere you like on your work.
•    Print the logo in any color(s) you choose. Multiple colors are fine.
•    Use any color paper you like when using the logo.
•    Print the logo in any size that works with your material. A small-resolution .jpg file is provided for smaller uses. A higher-resolution .pdf is provided for larger uses of the logo.

Please avoid the following:
•    Do not separate the chalice from the taglines.
•    Do not move the taglines. The taglines should appear ONLY directly beneath the logo, two sentences, double-stacked. Do not place the sentences side by side or elsewhere.
•    Avoid retyping the tag lines in another font. The Communications Committee has chosen Georgia as the primary display font for official UUCWC communications materials. The taglines always appear in Georgia Bold.
•    The logo should not be stretched, reproportioned, or altered in any way.
•    Please do not use the .jpg file for large displays of the logo or will appear pixelated. Use the .pdf file instead.

If the logo is to be printed professionally (e.g., in a brochure or in a newspaper ad), please ask the Communications Committee for a high-resolution (10 MB) PDF. You also can download it:
•    Black and white: http://www.uucwc.org/logo/UUCWC_logo_bw.pdf
•    Color: http://www.uucwc.org/logo/UUCWC_logo_color.pdf

Please do not hesitate to ask anyone on the Communications Committee with questions!