Derek Castelli

Eternity Church

· nonprofit, faith
Type
Design & Development
Context
Solo
Time
6 weeks
Duration
6 weeks

Brief

Eternity Church is a growing ministry in Johnston, Iowa, reaching thousands of people each week with a mission to show the world that God's way is better. I spent two years leading creative there—from graphics and merch to weekend production—before stepping away in 2020 to pursue freelance work. When the church needed to move off Squarespace, I took the project on solo.

They wanted more control, stronger functionality, and a bolder brand stance online. I handled the full design and Webflow build: a modern digital front door with clear paths to plan a visit, explore ministries, catch the latest message, and connect through Church Center.

Problem

Eternity had outgrown Squarespace. The platform could not give their team the control or flexibility they needed as the church grew, and the site was not keeping pace with the quality of the in-person experience. For someone who had shaped the church's visual environment for years—and who had been saying "I want to redesign our church website" long before the project started—the gap was hard to ignore.

They did not just need a prettier site—they needed a platform that could grow with them, support richer functionality, and take a stronger brand position online. First-time visitors still needed service times and directions at a glance; returning attenders needed events, ministries, and next steps without friction.

Solution

I designed and built a complete Webflow site from the ground up, migrating Eternity off Squarespace into a platform their team could actually own. Bold homepage storytelling, a clear plan-a-visit path, event discovery, ministry and beliefs pages, and Church Center integration for registrations, kid check-in, and serving.

The navigation became a signature detail: slanted navbar elements that complement the site's italic typography, paired with a mega side nav menu that makes a large site feel organized instead of overwhelming. The team's response said it all—"This does feel different from what we had but definitely an upgrade"—which was exactly the goal: familiar enough to trust, clearly better in every way that mattered.

Specific work

  • Squarespace-to-Webflow migration with full site redesign
  • Webflow design and development for greater CMS control and functionality
  • Slanted navbar elements paired with italic typography for a stronger brand stance
  • Mega side nav menu for clear wayfinding across a growing site
  • Homepage and visual system built around Eternity's current brand and messaging
  • Plan a visit, events, ministries, beliefs, and leadership pages
  • Latest message and connection pathways for new and returning attenders
  • Church Center app integration for event registration and church engagement
  • Solo project—design and build delivered in six weeks