In 1918, an old-fashioned tent meeting held on the lawn of what is now Ascension St. Vincent Clay Hospital lead to the formation of the Brazil Church of the Nazarene. Jay Pitts chronicled this story in his booklet titled, “Among the Oaks,” the opening line of which reads, “If the huge oak trees on the lawn of the Clay County Hospital could tell a story, they would speak of a baby church that was born where they now stand, as a result of the power of the Holy Spirit[.]”
The oak tree. Known for its grand size and wide canopy, it begins its life from an acorn that’s only about an inch long. Under the shade it provides, countless species of wildlife gather to seek shelter and nutrition. An oak tree grows slowly and can live for centuries if planted where it can remain healthy. When harvested, the durable lumber of an oak tree can be used to make furniture, cabinets, flooring, house frames, beams, boats, and much more, giving lasting life even after the tree itself is gone.
The Brazil Church of the Nazarene is like the oak trees under which it was formed. For over 105 years, we have endured. Our love and our service reach wide, impacting those that choose to seek Him, celebrate Him, and serve Him under our roof. Our mission is to produce good fruit – new acorns – that will grow into healthy trees to provide for the ministries of the Kingdom, and in turn, repeat this process for future generations.
With these qualities in mind, the Brazil Church of the Nazarene has adopted a new logo.
There are three elements to the logo. The oak tree, the semi-circle behind it, and the dark green color.
The oak tree represents the trees under which we were formed. It is a symbol of resilience and an emblem of strength.
The rising sun behind the tree represents a new day and a new beginning, much like being born again in Christ Jesus.
The dark green color signifies growth and growing.
We’re excited for the change and hope you like the new look. A revised website will be revealed soon, and you should also expect to see new materials with the logo around the church. You will still see the old logo in a few places for a while. We are not actively replacing everything with the old logo; we will use items we have and replace them as supplies run out. The offering envelopes are an example of this. We are retaining the “Seek Him. Celebrate Him. Serve Him.” as our simplified mission statement.