Sarah Haftorson is the artist behind the annual conference logo that the Greater Northwest Area will use over the next three years to celebrate and honor “Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully and Lead Courageously.” Haftorson is a Chinese-American freelance illustrator and motion designer based in Portland. She’s the daughter of retired Oregon-Idaho Conference Revs. Ken and Janice Haftorson and is a member of Rose City Park UMC.
In designing the three-in-one logo, featuring a different symbol and color for each year, Haftorson brought in themes of spiritual attunement as we explore what it means as United Methodists to live out our vision statement: “Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are called to love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.”
The consistent elements of the logo: the bells, the windows, the symbols at the top of the windows, and the linens all play a part in defining this spiritual attunement.
“Bells symbolize music, God’s presence, spiritual connection, healing and protection,” Haftorson writes. “We are invited to attune our hearts, minds and spirits to the theme for each year. We meditate with the music of handbell choirs, wind bells, chakra bells and singing bowls.”
The linens? They represent holiness, divinity and dedication to God. The dyes? In Exodus, the high priest wore golden bells alternating with pomegranates on the hem of his blue robe while serving in the Tabernacle. Fine garments were often dyed scarlet, blue, and purple.
The stained glass windows, archways and columns? They invite us to step in faith into a new season of ministry and symbolize transition, strength, harmony and enlightenment. They also symbolize the “window work” Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth has called us to do since introducing the concept of the M.I.L.E. three years ago.
