Key Takeaways:
- St. Barnabas Church hired e9digital to redesign their former website while honoring the church’s storied past.
- The redesign features art nouveau-inspired elements, blending historical charm with modern usability.
- Church leaders praised the site’s reverent design, calling it a true reflection of their mission and spirit.
St. Barnabas Church, nestled in the heart of Irvington, NY, has long been a sanctuary of support and a beacon for its diverse community. While the church put all of their efforts into their congregation, they let their website slide. The site had an antiquated look and feel that didn’t reflect the vibrant congregation it served. From a technical standpoint, the site was a challenge—built on outdated software that made updates cumbersome.
They turned to our team at e9digital to find the solution. We were a natural fit because we’ve worked with many non-profits before, including the Climate Resilience Project and China Institute.
A solution rooted in history and usability
E9digital’s team approached the project with a dual mission: honor the church’s rich history while creating a modern, user-friendly website. Drawing inspiration from the church’s art nouveau architecture, we:
- Revamped the logo with LTC Goudy Oldstyle Pro, a typeface from that era.
- Incorporated colors pulled directly from tapestries and other elements within the church.
- Used photo borders to mimic the architecture of the church.
The site’s design strikes a delicate balance between “old-world charm” and contemporary functionality, featuring a modern sans serif font for body copy to ensure readability.
St. Barnabas Church wants everyone to feel welcome. However, 39% of users will stop engaging with a website if elements load too slowly. To address usability issues such as this, we used e9digital’s UI/UX best practices.
- A mega menu that clearly organizes all opportunities for involvement.
- An animated call-to-action to guide first-time visitors to essential information.
- Fast-loading hero images and diverse photographs to showcase the church’s welcoming community.
For St. Barnabas, we took “open hearts, open doors” not just as a core value of the church but as the design principle for the website.
“By looking at the images we sent, e9digital picked up on key elements—the art, the architecture, the symbolic imagery. The site has a truly reverent feeling.” – Pam Middleton | St. Barnabas
The team at St. Barnabas was thrilled with the new site. Rev. Gareth C. Evans said, “e9digital offered us great value for our money.”
St. Barnabas Church’s new website is a platform that reflects their mission and spirit. Ready to transform your online presence? Contact e9digital today for a custom solution that captures the essence of your organization.
