Pastor Aaron Goetzinger: No Choice but Great Design

Growing up in a house with two artists for parents, Pastor Aaron Goetzinger could hardly escape the artistic integrity he possesses. As a child, Aaron kept sketchbooks, pored over books of his favorite artists, and made his own movies on a borrowed camcorder. As an adult, Aaron incorporates his love of great design with spreading the gospel as Pastor to Redemption Lutheran Church in Watertown, NY.

Bread for Beggars: Tell us more about how good design became such an ingrained part of your communication.

Aaron Goetzinger: I definitely owe my design sense to my parents who fostered in me a love for the arts. My dad was a graphic designer before going back to school to become a pastor. My mom is a professional artist. She was trained as a fashion designer and had books of fashion throughout the ages. I remember using the pictures in those books as my models.

BFB: How does design get incorporated into your calling as a Pastor?

AG: I love our Lutheran emphasis on the means of grace. The gospel in Word in Sacrament gets me excited. At the same time, we Lutherans can be quite pragmatic. I’ve seen a lot of bad design coming from our churches, which is unfortunate.

Having good design isn’t undermining the role of the means of grace, nor is it pandering to our culture. Good design upholds the gospel. The gospel is always communicated. Primarily it’s communicated verbally, but it can also be communicated visually.

Luther understood this. That’s why he worked hand in hand with the Cranach workshop in the publication of his works. His publications had what we might call today a “corporate look.” People could identify a Luther publication by looking at it, and his publications were filled with fine woodcuts which served to communicate the gospel clearly.

What keeps you refreshed in the art world? Any inspiration?

I enjoy going to art exhibitions. Last winter I went to a wonderful exhibition of Joan Mitchell and Jean Paul Riopelle. It was breathtaking. When I first got into digital design I wasn’t aware of popular designers so I took inspiration from the early designers of illuminated manuscripts like the Book of Kells. As I learned more I trended toward simplicity. I try to take cues from classic looks that are beautiful and will age well.

Aaron serves on the Bread for Beggars leadership team as a creative consultant and content creator and curator. On a seasonal basis, throughout the church year, he provides us with musical playlists to guide our study, focus, and worship.