A congregation or governing body may, of course, authorize the seal to be used for core functions of the governing body. For example:

• Printing on church stationery and publications
• Church signs
• Shirts for church athletic teams

The church must, however, be sure the vendor that produces these items does not then use the seal for its own purposes. For example, if Acme Printing produces 50 t-shirts for First Presbyterian Church using the seal, that use is authorized by the 1985 General Assembly action. If Acme Printing then uses the seal on other shirts and markets them, that is a copyright violation without a prior license from the Office of the General Assembly.

Any authorized use of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) symbol must comply with the following guidelines, and may be amended from time to time by the Office of the General Assembly.

Make no design or proportion alterations
The design and proportions of the symbol must not be altered in any way, except the size may be changed for use on stationery, signs, banners and so forth. The colors may be changed in the manner set forth below.

Give public notice of trademark registration
While every use of the seal may not provide an opportunity to display the statutory notice (the circle “R”, ®) and use of the statutory notice is not mandatory, it is good practice, when practicable, to give public notice of the trademark registration by using one of the following:

1. The letter R enclosed in a circle: ®
2. Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.
3. Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

So, while it is not practical to display the statutory notice on a stained glass window or church sign, it is possible to note it on the reverse of a piece of jewelry or other inconspicuous place.

Trademark protection may be lost through improper use, abandonment and dilution. To minimize this risk, the symbol must always be used in its entire and original form.

As in this case with the notice of trademark registration, copyright notice is not mandatory but, whenever possible, it is desirable to include some notice of the copyright on the inside cover of publications displaying the seal. The following language is suggested: “The seal is the exclusive property of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and is registered in the U.S. Copyright Office. This seal may not be used or reproduced without the prior written permission of the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202.”

Obtain prior permission for using the seal
Anyone other than a congregation or governing body who plans to use the seal must receive the prior permission of the Office of the General Assembly. Any products marketed in wholesale or retail settings must be specifically licensed by the Office of the General Assembly. An application for use must be submitted and a fee must be paid for each design. A sample of the proposed product should be sent to the Office of the General Assembly so approval may be based on the finished product.

For more information or a license to use the seal, contact:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Office of the General Assembly
Attn: Director of Operations
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
(888) 728-7228, x8038