Still sharing Jesus with a new generation

CRU® Camp leaders on Winter Study 1, 2019

Crusaders’ Executive Director, Gary Hill, recalls parking his car outside one of Sydney’s oldest independent schools back in 1995, ready to speak in the chapel. As he did, he noted two students entering the school gate who were wearing Muslim clothing. “I began thinking how every student needed to hear the good news of Jesus, and how I hoped that the name of Crusaders wouldn’t be a blockage to that message.”

Discussions at the time suggested that it was not likely to be a major barrier, and the existence of the Canterbury Crusaders Rugby Union franchise in the Super Rugby competition was noted by many, yet a sense remained that this could become an increasingly significant issue. In 1997, Crusaders moved from the traditional heraldic shield logo, complete with helmet, crown, sword and scroll, to a stylised eagle. At the same time, the name changed from “The Crusader Union of NSW” to “The Crusader Union of Australia” as it was recognised that opportunities existed to operate in multiple states. “CRU ® ” was being used increasingly to refer to school groups, resources, holiday camps, and this magazine, with the name “CRU” being trademarked. “CRU” was an obvious choice: it maintained the historical link with Crusaders, reflecting thankfulness for the pioneering work in sharing the gospel with school students, while providing a new vitality and removing a potential barrier.

Now in 2019, the time has come to adopt “CRU” more extensively across the organisation, with a new logo being developed to specifically represent our heart and our mission. The key distinctives of the new logo emphasise this. The top of the “U” is an arrow which symbolises our intention to point to Jesus in all that we do. The “U” itself is shaped like the familiar “U-turn” sign, representing our mission to see children and young 2019 people turn to life in Christ. At the same time, the tail of the “R” descends below the baseline to symbolise the nurturing arm of CRU in serving and caring for young people.

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New CRU® logo

Our name has morphed but our identity as an organisation remains unchanged

We will be rolling out the new logo across the organisation over 2019-2020, starting with CRU West. We are expecting to hold a Service of Thanksgiving for the new Lake Mac campsite in late 2020 and by that stage expect “CRU” to be our dominant signage.

Our name has morphed, but our identity as an organisation remains unchanged. As the Holy Spirit equips us, we seek to be faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ, so that a new generation comes to know the new life which is found in Him.