Silver bells, silver bells, it's Christmastime in the city.” First sung in 1951 by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell, and composed by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, Silver Bells was inspired by the imagery of Salvation Army bell ringers standing outside department stores during the Christmas season. After being recorded by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards 57 years ago, the song has been heard every December since.

In both classic and modern Christmas films, The Salvation Army kettle, with its Red Shield, often makes an appearance. A simple and powerful backdrop that sets the holiday mood, it's a symbol that brings a sense of warmth, caring and community. The Red Shield communicates help and hope. It is synonymous with meeting the deepest human needs, such as responding to floods and fires, disaster and disappointment. From a catastrophic tsunami to the scourge of human sex trafficking, its shape tells the story: a shield that guards and protects.

The Red Shield is more than an internationally recognized symbol—it is an icon. In technology that connects us every day, icons are a part of our words, thoughts and actions. Our computer screens would be useless without them to guide and direct. The word icon is derived from the Greek word for image. In that sense we could not dispute that the image of The Salvation Army is a powerful one when meeting the needs of the marginalized and those in distress. Who could forget the moving television commercial following the devastation of hurricane Katrina, with the Salvationist standing on a rooftop, kettle and bell in hand, with flood waters rising?

But to focus solely on that social aspect would fail to encompass the full mission of the Army. We have been described as an airplane: one wing being our service to humankind, the other reflecting the spiritual needs of society. The Red Shield celebrates both elements of our mission.

By definition, an icon is a representation of the sacred, a symbol of the holy and divine. Our corps and community churches represent just that. They are simple buildings where people of all ages meet to become energized in their spiritual journey, to receive a fortifying inner strength to help face the daily challenges of life. They are places where one can sense the closeness of the sacred, the holy, the divine. Salvation Army churches are relational places, spaces in which new friends share together in the fellowship that is the Church.

There is probably no other religious denomination that can be represented in one simply designed graphic. The shield communicates our raison d'etre, our motivation to reach out spiritually. It's a Jesus “brand,” for Jesus' sake. A recently published study of the world's most valuable brands indicated that to be successful, the entire organization must embrace it. For our organization that includes not only our social services but also our worshipping community.

The Salvation Army's Red Shield should find a visible place on all our buildings. It is a sign, a symbol and an icon, declaring our sacred mission.

Lt-Colonel Lynda Watt is the assistant to the property secretary, THQ.