Who we are and what this covers #

Noel United Methodist Church (“Noel UMC,” “we,” or “us”) is a church plant serving Santa Claus, Indiana. This policy explains what information we collect through noel.church, our forms, online giving, and text messaging program, how we use it, and the choices you have.

By using noel.church or joining our text messages, you agree to the practices described here. If you disagree with any part, please do not use the site or sign up for texts. Our Terms & Conditions, including our SMS Terms, appear further down this page.

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Information we collect #

We collect only what we need to welcome visitors, serve our congregation, and run our ministry.

Information you give us

• Contact details such as your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number when you complete a form, including the I’m New form, contact forms, and event, volunteer, and ministry sign-ups.
• Prayer requests you submit, including any details you choose to share.
• Your mobile phone number and a record of your consent if you join our text messaging program.
• Giving information. Gifts made through Tithely are processed by Tithely, and we do not see or store your full card or bank account numbers.
• Messages you send us by email, text, or social media.

Information collected automatically

• Device and browser type, IP address, approximate location, pages viewed, the page that referred you, and the date and time of your visit.
• Information gathered by cookies and similar technologies (see Cookies and analytics).

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How we use your information #

We use your information to run our ministry, answer you, and keep our site safe.

• Respond to your questions and connect you with ministries, events, and volunteer opportunities.
• Welcome new visitors and follow up on the forms you submit.
• Send service updates, event reminders, newsletters, and church news by email or text when you ask us to.
• Share your prayer requests with our prayer team.
• Process gifts and send giving receipts through Tithely.
• Understand how people use noel.church so we can improve it.
• Protect our site and forms from spam and abuse.
• Meet legal and record-keeping requirements.

We do not sell your personal information.

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Text messaging and your phone number #

Noel United Methodist Church texts only people who have opted in. The rules for our text messaging campaign, including message frequency, costs, and how to stop messages, are in the SMS Terms of our Terms & Conditions. You can go straight to them here: SMS Terms. This section explains how we handle your phone number.

Who handles your number. We use Twilio to send and deliver our texts and Elvanto to keep our contact lists. These providers receive your number and message content only to deliver messages and maintain our lists on our behalf.

No sharing for marketing. We do not sell or share your SMS opt-in data or personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties.

Consent records. We keep a record of your consent, including your phone number, the date and time, and the form you used, so we can honor your choices and show that you opted in.

Opting out. Reply STOP to any message at any time and we will stop texting you.

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Cookies and analytics #

noel.church uses cookies, which are small files stored on your device, to keep the site working, remember your settings, and show us how visitors use it. We use analytics tools to count visits and see which pages people read, and we use Google reCAPTCHA on some forms to block spam. Where reCAPTCHA is used, the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Embedded YouTube videos may set their own cookies when you play them.

Most browsers let you block or delete cookies in their settings. Blocking cookies may affect how some parts of the site work.

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Services we use to run our ministry #

We rely on a small set of service providers, and each one handles your information only to do its job for us. Each provider also has its own privacy policy that governs how it treats your information.

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How we share information #

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share it only in these situations:

• With church staff and trained volunteers who need it to serve you, such as a ministry leader following up on a sign-up.
• With the service providers listed above, so they can perform their work for us.
• When the law requires it, such as in response to a valid legal request, or when needed to protect someone’s safety.
• With your permission.

We do not sell or share your SMS opt-in data or personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

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Prayer requests #

Prayer requests go to our pastoral and prayer team. If a form offers a private option, we limit that request to staff and the prayer team. We share a request with the wider congregation only when you tell us we may. Please leave out names and details about other people that they would not want repeated.

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Retention and security #

We keep your information only as long as we need it for the purpose you gave it, or as the law requires. Text consent records stay on file while you are subscribed and for a reasonable period afterward, so we can show that you opted in and honor an opt-out.

We limit access to staff and volunteers who need it, protect our accounts with passwords, and keep secure backups of the website. No method of storage or transmission is perfectly secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

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Your choices and rights #

You control what we send you and what we keep.

• Text messages: Reply STOP at any time.
• Email: Use the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or contact us.
• Access, correction, and deletion: Ask us to show you, fix, or delete the personal information we hold about you. We respond within 30 days.
• Cookies: Adjust your browser settings to block or delete them.

If a state privacy law gives you additional rights, contact us and we will honor them where they apply.

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Children and youth #

noel.church is built for adults and families. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the website without a parent or guardian’s consent, and our text program is for adults 18 and older. Parents of youth ministry participants can contact us to review or delete information we hold about their child. If you believe a child has given us information without permission, contact us and we will delete it.

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Changes to this policy #

We may update this policy as our ministry or the law changes. The effective date at the top of this policy shows when it was last updated, and we will post any material change to the text program here before it takes effect.

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Contact us #

Questions, requests, or concerns about this policy? Reach us at:

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Acceptance of these terms #

These terms govern your use of noel.church and the services Noel United Methodist Church (“Noel UMC,” “we,” or “us”) offers through it, including online forms, online giving, and our text messaging program. By using the site or signing up for a service, you agree to these terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you disagree, please do not use the site.

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Using noel.church #

You are welcome to use the site for personal, non-commercial purposes. When you use it, you agree to:

• Give accurate information on our forms.
• Follow the law and respect other people.
• Avoid interfering with the site, probing it for weaknesses, or trying to reach areas you are not authorized to use.
• Avoid sending spam, harmful code, or misleading or harassing messages through our forms.
• Avoid pretending to be another person or organization.

We may block access or remove content when needed to protect the site, our community, or the law.

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SMS Terms #

These SMS Terms apply to the text messaging program of Noel United Methodist Church. By opting in, you agree to them and to our Privacy Policy.

Sender. Noel United Methodist Church, Santa Claus, Indiana.

What we send. Service reminders, event announcements and reminders, volunteer and ministry updates, and church news.

How you opt in. You join by entering your mobile number on a Noel UMC text sign-up form, on noel.church or through an Elvanto form, and checking the box that agrees to receive texts. We send no texts to a number that has not given this consent. Consent is not a condition of attending, joining, or giving.

Consent wording. The consent statement for our text sign-up forms reads:

By checking this box, I agree to receive recurring text messages from Noel United Methodist Church at the mobile number I entered. These messages are about service reminders, event announcements and reminders, volunteer and ministry updates, and church news. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of attending, joining, or giving. We do not sell or share your SMS opt-in data or personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Message frequency. Message frequency varies based on the ministries and events you follow.

Costs. Message and data rates may apply, depending on your mobile plan.

How to opt out. Reply STOP to any message at any time. You will receive one confirmation text, and then no further messages. Reply START to rejoin. You can also contact us.

How to get help. Reply HELP to any message, or contact us.

Carriers and delivery. Carriers and Noel UMC are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Eligibility. Our text program is for adults 18 and older.

Privacy. We do not sell or share your SMS opt-in data or personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties. Learn more in our Privacy Policy, in the section Text messaging and your phone number.

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Online giving #

Online gifts are processed by Tithely, and Tithely’s own terms and privacy policy apply to the payment. Gifts are voluntary. We use designated gifts for the purpose you choose whenever possible. We send giving receipts to the email address you provide. For help with a gift, a recurring schedule, or a receipt, contact us.

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Prayer requests and content you submit #

When you send a prayer request, comment, or other message through the site, you give Noel UMC permission to use it to respond to you and to carry out our ministry, as described in our Privacy Policy. Please submit only content you have the right to share, and leave out anything unlawful, hateful, or harmful.

We do not monitor submissions around the clock. If you or someone else is in crisis or an emergency, call 911, or call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, instead of using a web form.

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Livestream and recordings #

We stream and record our Sunday services and may record other events. If you attend in person, you may appear in these videos and in event photos. If you would prefer to stay out of them, tell a member of our welcome team or contact us and we will work with you.

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Our content #

The text, graphics, logos, photos, sermons, and videos on noel.church belong to Noel UMC or are used with permission. You are welcome to share links to our pages and videos. Please do not copy, resell, or republish our content without written permission. Music, scripture translations, and other third-party materials remain the property of their owners.

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Third-party links and services #

noel.church links to and embeds services we do not control, including YouTube, Tithely, and social media sites. We are not responsible for their content or practices, and their own terms apply when you use them.

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Disclaimers #

We provide the site “as is” and “as available.” We work to keep information such as service times and event details accurate, but schedules can change, and we do not promise that the site will always be error-free or available. Content on the site is general information and is not legal, medical, financial, or professional advice.

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Limitation of liability #

To the fullest extent the law allows, Noel UMC and its leaders, staff, and volunteers are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages that arise from your use of the site or its services. Nothing in these terms limits a right you have under the law that cannot be limited.

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Governing law #

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Indiana. Any dispute about them will be handled in the state or federal courts located in Indiana.

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Changes to these terms #

We may update these terms as our ministry or the law changes. The effective date at the top of these terms shows when they were last updated, and we will post any material change to the text program here before it takes effect. Continuing to use the site after a change means you accept the updated terms.

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Contact us #

Questions about these terms? Reach us at:

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