Effective and last updated October 27, 2026
1. Acceptance of These Terms
This Privacy Policy and Terms of Use (the “Policy”) governs your use of shekinahsda.org and any related pages, forms, and emails (the “Website”), operated by Shekinah Haitian Seventh-day Adventist Church, 205 E Carver St, Alvarado, Texas 76009 (the “Church,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By accessing or using the Website, you agree to this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website.
In this Policy, “Church Parties” means the Church, its pastor and pastoral staff, elders, officers, board members, employees, volunteers, and members, together with the Seventh-day Adventist conference and other church organizations with which the Church is affiliated.
2. Information We Collect
We collect only the information you choose to submit through the Website, such as your name, email address, phone number, visit details, language preference, church membership details, and any message or request you provide. We do not require personal information to attend worship services. Our service providers may automatically receive basic technical information, such as your IP address and browser type, when you visit the Website.
3. How We Use Information
We use the information you provide to respond to your requests, schedule visits, Bible studies, and pastoral contact, process membership transfers, send confirmation messages and newsletters you request, maintain church records, protect the safety and security of the Church, its people, and its property, and comply with legal obligations. We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information.
4. Sharing of Information
We share information only with Church Parties who need it to respond to you, and with service providers that operate the Website on our behalf, including database hosting and email delivery providers, who may use it only to provide those services. We may disclose information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is required by law, subpoena, or legal process, or is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Church, its pastor, its members, visitors, or others.
5. Prayer and Pastoral Care Requests
Prayer and pastoral care requests are handled with discretion. Pastoral care requests and prayer requests marked private are shared only with the pastor and designated church leaders. However, the Church cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality of information sent over the internet. Information you submit may be disclosed where required by law, including mandatory reporting obligations, or where there is a risk of harm to you or others.
6. Not Professional Advice
Content on the Website, including articles, devotionals, health, nutrition, and recipe information, and any pastoral or spiritual guidance, is provided for general religious and educational purposes only. It is not medical, mental health, legal, financial, or other professional advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from a qualified professional. Pastoral care offered by the Church is spiritual care and is not licensed counseling or therapy. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.
7. Emergencies
The Website and its forms are not monitored at all times and must not be used for emergencies. If you or someone else is in danger, call 911. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
8. Website Content and Accuracy
The Church strives to keep information on the Website accurate, but service times, events, programs, community resources, and other information may change without notice. Listings of outside organizations and community resources are provided as a courtesy only and do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee by the Church. You are responsible for verifying information before relying on it.
9. Photos and Media
Worship services, events, and activities of the Church may be photographed, recorded, or livestreamed, and those images and recordings may appear on the Website, social media, and other Church communications. By attending, you consent to such use. If you would like a photo or recording of you or your minor child removed from the Website, please contact us and we will make reasonable efforts to honor your request.
10. Church Property and Events
Information on the Website about the Church building, services, and events is provided for convenience and does not create any duty or obligation beyond those required by law. Visitors to Church property and events are responsible for their own conduct, safety, and personal belongings, and parents and guardians are responsible for supervising their children. The Church reserves the right to refuse entry to or remove any person from its property or events at its sole discretion. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Church Parties are not responsible for loss of or damage to personal property.
11. Acceptable Use
You agree not to use the Website to submit false, unlawful, harassing, threatening, defamatory, obscene, or misleading content; impersonate any person; send spam; attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Website, its administrative areas, or its data; interfere with its operation; or collect information about other users. The Church may refuse, remove, or report any submission and may block access to anyone who violates this Policy.
12. Giving and Third Party Services
Gifts made through Adventist Giving, Cash App, Zelle, or any other outside service are processed by those providers under their own terms and privacy policies. The Church does not receive or store your card or bank account numbers and is not responsible for the practices, errors, or availability of those services. Links to other websites are provided for convenience only, and the Church is not responsible for their content or privacy practices. Gifts to the Church are voluntary and generally nonrefundable.
13. Intellectual Property
The Church name, logo, text, graphics, photographs, and other content on the Website belong to the Church or are used with permission, and are protected by applicable law. You may view and share Website content for personal, noncommercial, ministry purposes with attribution. You may not copy, modify, or use Church names, logos, or content for commercial purposes or in a way that suggests endorsement without our written permission. Bible quotations are from the King James Version, which is in the public domain.
14. Disclaimer of Warranties
The Website and all content are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non infringement. The Church does not warrant that the Website will be uninterrupted, secure, or free of errors, viruses, or other harmful components.
15. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Church Parties shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, or for any loss of data, injury, or harm, arising out of or related to your use of or inability to use the Website, your reliance on any content, any pastoral or spiritual guidance, any third party service, or any communication with the Church, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
16. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Church Parties from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees, arising out of or related to your use of the Website, your submissions, or your violation of this Policy or of any law or the rights of another.
17. Security and Data Retention
The Church uses reasonable administrative and technical safeguards, including encrypted connections and password protected access, to protect information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and you submit information at your own risk. We retain information as long as reasonably necessary for ministry purposes, church records, and legal obligations. You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information by contacting us, subject to our recordkeeping and legal obligations.
18. Children
The Website is intended for adults and families. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
19. Cookies and Analytics
The Website does not use advertising cookies. Certain features, such as language translation provided by Google Translate, may place cookies on your device, and the Website may use privacy respecting analytics tools to understand how the Website is used. You can control cookies through your browser settings.
20. Newsletter and Email
If you subscribe to our newsletter, you may unsubscribe at any time using the link in any newsletter email or by contacting us. Confirmation emails sent in response to forms you submit are service messages related to your request.
21. Governing Law
This Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict of law rules. Any dispute arising out of or related to the Website or this Policy shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Johnson County, Texas, and you consent to the jurisdiction of those courts. If any provision of this Policy is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect.
22. Changes to This Policy
The Church may update this Policy at any time by posting the revised version on this page with a new “Last updated” date. Your continued use of the Website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.
23. Contact Us
Questions about this Policy or requests regarding your information may be sent to Shekinah Haitian Seventh-day Adventist Church, 205 E Carver St, Alvarado, Texas 76009, or by email to info@shekinahsda.org.
