1. Introduction
Welcome to the Newspring Church Management System. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our church management system.
Note: This system is designed for internal church management purposes and handles sensitive member information with the highest standards of care and confidentiality.
By accessing or using the Newspring Church Management System, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect
Personal Information
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you register, use our services, or interact with our system. This includes:
| Category | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Identification Data | Full name, date of birth, gender, photo | Member identification and record keeping |
| Contact Information | Email address, phone number, physical address | Communication and pastoral care |
| Demographic Information | Marital status, occupation, skills, state of origin | Ministry planning and resource allocation |
| Spiritual Information | Salvation status, baptism date, former church | Spiritual growth tracking and discipleship |
| Ministry Data | Department assignments, leadership roles, attendance | Ministry coordination and service planning |
| Emergency Contact | Next of kin information, emergency contacts | Emergency situations and pastoral care |
Automatically Collected Information
When you use our system, we automatically collect certain information including:
- Usage Data: Login times, feature usage, session duration
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for legitimate church purposes including:
Primary Uses
- Member Management: Maintaining accurate member records and directories
- Pastoral Care: Providing spiritual support and follow-up
- Ministry Coordination: Assigning and managing department roles
- Event Management: Organizing church events and activities
- Communication: Sending important announcements and updates
- Spiritual Growth: Tracking participation and spiritual milestones
Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal information based on:
- Consent: When you explicitly consent to specific processing activities
- Legitimate Interests: For essential church operations and ministry activities
- Legal Obligations: When required by applicable laws and regulations
- Vital Interests: In emergency situations requiring immediate action
4. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We value your privacy and do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share information in the following circumstances:
Internal Sharing
- Church Leadership: Pastors and department heads for ministry purposes
- Designated Staff: Authorized personnel with role-based access
- Ministry Teams: Team leaders for group coordination
External Sharing
- Service Providers: Trusted vendors who assist with system maintenance
- Legal Requirements: When required by law or legal process
- Emergency Situations: To protect vital interests in emergencies
- Church Network: With affiliated churches for collaborative ministries
Important: All external service providers are bound by strict confidentiality agreements and are only permitted to use your information for specific system-related purposes.
5. Data Security
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information:
Technical Safeguards
- Encryption: Data encryption in transit and at rest
- Access Controls: Role-based permissions and authentication
- Network Security: Firewalls, intrusion detection, and monitoring
- Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability testing
Administrative Safeguards
- Staff Training: Privacy and security awareness training
- Data Policies: Clear guidelines for data handling
- Incident Response: Procedures for security incidents
- Confidentiality Agreements: Binding agreements for all personnel
While we implement robust security measures, no system can be 100% secure. We continuously work to improve our security practices and respond to emerging threats.
6. Your Rights
You have certain rights regarding your personal information:
| Right | Description | How to Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Request a copy of your personal data | Submit a data access request through the system |
| Correction | Update or correct inaccurate information | Edit your profile or contact data administrator |
| Deletion | Request deletion of your personal data | Submit a deletion request to church administration |
| Restriction | Limit how we use your information | Contact the data protection officer |
| Objection | Object to certain processing activities | Submit an objection through the system |
| Portability | Receive your data in a portable format | Request data export from system administrators |
Note: Some rights may be limited in certain circumstances, such as when processing is necessary for legitimate church purposes or legal compliance.
7. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:
Retention Periods
- Active Members: Retained while actively involved with the church
- Inactive Members: Archived after 7 years of inactivity
- Financial Records: 7 years for tax and compliance purposes
- Attendance Data: 7 years for ministry planning
- System Logs: 1 year for security and troubleshooting
When personal information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policy.
9. Children's Privacy
Our system is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Parental Consent: For children's ministry activities, we collect minimal information with explicit parental consent and maintain it in accordance with child protection policies.
If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately so we can take appropriate action.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements.
Notification of Changes
- Significant changes will be communicated through system notifications
- Updated policies will be posted in the system with effective dates
- Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
11. Contact Us
Data Protection Officer
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Email: privacy@newspring.ng
Phone: +234 XXX XXX XXXX
Address: SpringVille Center, Abuja, Nigeria
We take all privacy concerns seriously and will respond to your inquiry promptly.
Complaints
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your jurisdiction.