Privacy Policy | Palominas Chapel

1. Introduction

Palominas Chapel Church of God, Inc. ("we," "us," "our") collects and uses personal information through our website and church ministry activities. This Privacy Policy explains our data practices.

All information collected by the church is used exclusively for internal church ministry purposes in accordance with our religious mission, Statement of Faith, Code of Conduct, and Bylaws. We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information. We do not use your information for commercial purposes or share it with third parties except as described in this policy for legitimate church operations.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following information when you attend services, register for events, use our website, contact us, or participate in church activities. This list is not exhaustive:

Directly From You (including but not limited to):

Name, email address, phone number, mailing address
Contact forms, newsletter signups, and other communications
Prayer requests and personal information you share
Donation and payment information - donation records are reviewed by church leadership for membership evaluation purposes
Volunteer information and background check data (with your consent)
Directory information (with your consent)
Event registration information
For youth participants: age and parental/guardian contact information
Children's information for camps, travel, or events (with parental consent)
Any other information you voluntarily provide to the church

Automatically (including but not limited to):

Website usage data, browsing behavior, and technical information
IP addresses, device information, browser type, operating system
Cookies and similar tracking technologies
Log files and analytics data
Pages visited, time spent, click patterns, referral sources

2a. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

What Are Cookies: Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit our website. We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve website functionality, analyze usage patterns, and enhance user experience.

Types of Cookies We Use:

Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality
Analytics Cookies: Track website usage and visitor behavior
Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
Social Media Cookies: Enable social media sharing functionality

Third-Party Tracking: We use third-party analytics and tracking services that may collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites. These services include website analytics tools, social media plugins, and share buttons.

Managing Cookies: Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through settings. You can set your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. However, if you disable cookies, some website features may not function properly.

For more information about managing cookies:

Chrome: chrome://settings/content/cookies
Firefox: about:preferences#privacy
Safari: Preferences > Privacy
Edge: edge://settings/privacy

3. How We Use Your Information

All information is used exclusively for internal church ministry and operational purposes in alignment with our religious mission, Statement of Faith, Code of Conduct, and Bylaws.

Legitimate church ministry purposes include, but are not limited to:

Worship service and event notifications
Youth group and children's ministry communications
Pastoral care, prayer support, and spiritual counsel
Ministry updates, fellowship announcements, and church communications
Church administrative and operational purposes
Respond to inquiries, prayer requests, and information requests
Process donations and manage financial records
Send newsletters and regular communications
Manage membership, church directory, and contact lists
Evaluate faithful stewardship for membership requirements
Conduct background checks for volunteer screening (with consent)
Organize and coordinate events, camps, travel, or ministry activities
Maintain church records and historical documentation
Any other legitimate church ministry or operational purpose

4. Children's Privacy and Communications

Children Under 13 (COPPA Compliance): We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. For camps, travel, or children's programs, we obtain explicit parental consent before collecting any child's information.

Minors Under 18: When a minor (under 18) provides contact information or initiates communication with us:

By providing contact information, minors represent that they have parental or guardian permission to do so
Youth communications are monitored by multiple adults for accountability and safety
Communications may be archived for accountability and legal compliance purposes
If you are under 18, you must have your parent or guardian's permission before providing your contact information to our church

Parental Rights (COPPA Required): Parents/guardians of children under 13 may use the website contact form to:

Review communications with their child
Request their child be removed from our contact lists
Review, update, or request deletion of their child's information

5. Third-Party Services

We use third-party service providers that may collect and process your data under their own privacy policies, including but not limited to:

Website hosting and content management services
Church management and database software
Background check screening and safety training platforms
Payment processing and donation management services
Email and communication platforms
Analytics and website performance tools
Social media sharing plugins and buttons
Messaging platforms for church communications
Other operational and ministry support services

Social Media Integration: Our website includes social media sharing buttons. When you interact with these features, the social media provider may collect information about your visit to our site. We do not control these third-party plugins or their data collection practices.

Future Communications Platforms: We may use secure messaging platforms for church communications, ministry coordination, or emergency notifications. If we implement these services, your contact information may be shared with these platforms in accordance with their privacy policies.

We are not responsible for these third parties' data practices. You should review their privacy policies separately.

We do not sell, share, or distribute your information to third parties for marketing purposes.

6. Photo, Video, and Broadcast Use

Event Photography and Recording: The church may photograph, video record, or audio record church services, events, camps, retreats, and other activities. These images, videos, and recordings may be used for:

Church website and promotional materials
Social media posts (if applicable in the future)
Internal church communications and archives
Ministry presentations and reports
Livestreaming or broadcasting of services (potential future use)

Livestreaming and Broadcasting: Church services and events may be livestreamed, broadcast, or recorded for later distribution through online platforms. By attending in-person events, you acknowledge that you may appear in such recordings.

Opting Out: If you do not wish to be photographed, recorded, or appear in broadcasts, please contact church leadership through the website contact form or notify us in person at events. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request, though we cannot guarantee removal from all group photos or background footage.

7. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We do not share your information for commercial purposes or with third parties for their marketing use. All data sharing is limited to legitimate church ministry and operational purposes aligned with our religious mission and governing documents.

We may share your information only as follows:

With your consent (e.g., church directory, ministry teams)
With third-party service providers as described above, solely to support church operations
With legal advisors, attorneys, accountants, or religious freedom law firms for legal guidance, tax compliance, and church protection (within attorney-client privilege and applicable law)
With church leadership for membership evaluation purposes, including review of donation records to assess faithful stewardship as part of membership requirements
With other churches or ministries for legitimate ministry purposes (with appropriate consent)
As required by law, legal process, or to protect church interests
In connection with any merger, sale, or transfer of church assets (subject to confidentiality requirements)

8. Data Security

We use reasonable security measures to protect your information. However, no system is completely secure. Background check data and sensitive information are handled with heightened security.

Contact information is accessible only to authorized pastoral staff and church leadership.

9. Data Retention

We retain information as long as necessary for church purposes, legal requirements, or as specified in our records retention policies. The church has sole discretion to determine retention periods.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. Changes will be posted with a new "Last Updated" date.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions about these Terms or Privacy Policy:

c/o Legal Designee
Palominas Chapel Church of God, Inc.

Use the contact form on this website or mail written correspondence to the address on the contact page.

Your Consent: By using our website, you consent to these Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Last Updated: February 14, 2026