The Details of Design

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

The Managing Editor for the Living Church of God, Mr. John Robinson, gave an exemplary forum presentation for the Living Ed students in which he discussed his role, the editorial process, and the details of design theory.

Mr. Robinson began his presentation with a short, ironic story. When he was in highschool, he had to take a vocational survey that would show him what fields he would excel in. By now, he has forgotten completely what it said he was suited for, but he remembers what careers it said he shouldn’t pursue: the clergy and creative work like graphic design. Today, Mr. Robinson is an elder and a managing editor, a position that involves a lot of creativity, especially in making graphical layouts and designs. But he did not end up in the position by accident. 

Mr. Robinson delved into his professional experience, explaining that he spent 20 years in the print design field. He tried to get into the growing digital design world, but life always worked out in such a way that made him stay in the print field. One Sabbath day, he heard the job ad for a Managing Editor position at Headquarters in the announcements; it was practically his job description. He waited a few weeks before applying, and then he got the position. And an interesting thing happened. Mr. Robinson emphatically explained, “Within the first six months of working for the Church… I used every single life experience that I had from the previous 20 years.” God works everything out just right. 

The Editorial Process 

Mr. Robinson described the system the Editorial Department uses to refine submitted articles. First, the staff make sure that the article has no spelling mistakes or punctuation issues. Next, the editors go through and remove redundant information, which always manages to creep into writing. Mr. Robinson mentioned a quote from Blaise Pascal that many editors are familiar with: “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” 

The editorial department also ensures that the message is crystal clear for all potential readers. Then, the article is put into a template, like it would appear in the magazine, and sent to a group of reviewers for feedback. The reviews are processed, and then it is approved and sent to be printed. 

Design Theory 

Mr. Robinson then began to talk about design theory. The challenge in design is taking a complex idea and communicating it with a design anyone can understand. Mr. Robinson stated that the most effective designs follow the principle of this anonymous quotation: “Elegance is not the abundance of simplicity, but the absence of complexity.”

The purpose of design is to penetrate to the essentials with clearly intelligible organization. The designer must eliminate excess and clarify the subject. Mr. Robinson explained that design demands decisiveness. The designer must know where the reader’s eye should be drawn and what information is most critical, and use font size, pictures, location, and color to communicate it. He showed slides with examples, and he explained how choosing font type can even be a complicated design choice. 

Color Theory and Cover Selection

Mr. Robinson moved into color theory. He briefly explained complementary colors and the color wheel, and moved into the difference between print and digital colors. The difference between additive colors on a screen and subtractive colors used to print creates a unique situation. Sometimes, we can see a color on a computer that cannot be printed. Even these color considerations are part of Mr. Robinson’s role. 

Mr. Robinson gave the students an extra insight into the editorial process. He showed the different covers that could have been on a Tomorrow’s World issue. We discussed the differences between them, and then he explained which one was chosen and why.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

The First Ever Alumni Dinner 

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 3 min.

Tucked away in the woods of Cane Creek Park, the Living Education program hosted the first-ever Alumni Dinner at the Lakeside Lodge, exquisitely adorned with a winter theme.

Choosing a peaceful location at a picturesque park by a lavish lake for the dinner, the ambience was perfect as faculty, students, and some guests gathered to commemorate five years of the program. 

The Alumni Dinner in a snapshot

On the day of the event, the current students flickered with excitement, and some stress. The time was here for this new event, and there was no precedent or previous experience. The students left from work early and loaded up the vehicles and left for the Lakeside Lodge. Alumni, too, were taking off and preparing to attend this innovative event.  

Some Backstory 

Plans were in the making for over a month before. A video of commemoration was being made. The decorations were being carefully curated and created. The refreshments and snacks were pondered, picked, and then prepared. Special Living Education-themed prizes were even ordered and organized into a raffle for the guests – all during finals, a busy time for students and faculty alike. But it was all worthwhile, as students and faculty paused to look back on the last five years of the program. 

The Alumni Dinner

The day of the Alumni Dinner, the students arrived at the lodge with an hour to prepare. Tables were rearranged, decorations adorned, and refreshments situated. The raffle prizes were bagged and ordered, with stickers being cut and mugs being set out even as the first alumni arrived. An hour turned out to be the perfect amount of time. 

Alumni and faculty came in and the event flew off. The various years mingled, discussing their different experiences in the same program. The faculty saw old protegees and again, and the alumni caught up with old compatriots. For some it was an opportunity to come into town. For others it was a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of Charlotte and engage with friends. The evening included reflective speeches by Mr. McNair and Mr. Weston, encapsulating the years of the program and the effect it was having. As Mr. Weston said, “the program is cumulative. Every year brings new students.” Every year expands that effect. 

The final piece to come together was the take down. The students—helped by some alumni—took down the decorations, stowed the food, and packed up the cars again. The tables were put back, and the floors cleaned. The take down took less than half-an-hour, and the event was a success, start to finish. 

Are Ceremonies Worth It?

Ceremonies, such as this dinner, can seem difficult, maybe impossible to arrange, but they are vital for establishing traditions. If we escape the inertia of daily life, resist that feeling of “not having enough time,” they can be done, and they leave a satisfied sense. The past did really happen, and it meant something; it still means something. For us current students, this Alumni Dinner gave us the chance to see all the years that came before us, that have crafted and refined this program. We got to see its “cumulative effect.”  

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.