The Horizon Shield: Explained

Horizon shield

Designed with purpose.

The Horizon shield was redesigned in August, 2020. You may have spotted it on some snazzy new merch or promotional material.  Looks good, right?

The elements within have significance beyond their aesthetic value. The image as a whole serves as an emblem – reflecting the mission and vision of Horizon – all pointing back to God and His Kingdom work. His leading, His provision and His sovereignty encompass everything that we aim to do, and it’s all for His glory. 🙌

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)

So, what does it all mean?

Sun

The sun represents God’s providential care of the world, shining over our building and ministry – “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45, NIV).

Wheat

The wheat reminds us that, like Jesus, our ministry emanates from a rural, agrarian base, and that we are committed to sacrificially advancing God’s Kingdom – “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24, NIV).

River

The river represents the presence and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, flowing outside the edge of the design to show the Spirit’s unconstrained freedom – “‘Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7.38-39, NIV).

Bessborough

 The Bessborough is an emblem of Saskatoon, representing Horizon’s “Jerusalem” – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV).

Bridge

The bridge represents our bridging the gap between Jerusalem (Saskatoon) to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Building

The building is the hub of our ministry activity, connecting the whole image. The sun and water produce the wheat – the fruit of our ministry. The city and bridge represent our ministry field – the world. The building represents the peoples and ministries inhabiting it – “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labour. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9, NIV).

Shield

The shield represents God’s protection, the Shield of Faith to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16, NIV).

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