LEGAL

PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated August 20, 2025

First Cedartown Church (“the Church,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our members, guests, volunteers, and online visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information across our ministries, services, events, and digital platforms. We may collect personal information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, family information, or emergency contact details; with parental or guardian consent we may also collect limited information for participation in children’s and youth ministries. Financial information may be collected when you give tithes, offerings, or donations, which are processed through secure third-party vendors. Photography and video may be taken during services or events and may be used for church-related purposes, and online interactions may involve basic usage data such as IP addresses, browser type, and cookies. This information is used to provide ministry services and pastoral care, communicate about church events and programs, maintain membership and attendance records, process financial contributions securely, share church-related photography, video, and livestreams, and comply with legal obligations. We will never sell or rent your personal information to third parties. By entering the Church campus or participating in events, you consent to the use of your image and likeness in photographs, video recordings, and livestreams for church-related purposes; parents or guardians may opt out their minor children by notifying church staff in writing. Personal and financial information is stored securely with access limited to authorized staff and volunteers, and donations are processed through PCI-compliant vendors; while we take reasonable measures to protect data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. The privacy of children is very important to us, and we require parental or guardian consent before collecting, storing, or publishing any child’s personal information or photographs. You may request to review, update, or delete your personal information, opt out of communications, or request not to be photographed or included in church media by contacting the Church Office in writing. Our website, donation platforms, and livestream services may link to third-party providers, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices; we encourage you to review their policies. The Church reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time, and updates will be posted on our website and made available in print upon request. If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact First Cedartown Church at 101 N. College Street Cedartown, GA 30125

PROPERTY,CONDUCT, COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA POLICY

First Cedartown Church (“the Church,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, welcoming, and Christ-centered environment for members, guests, volunteers, staff, ministry participants, and visitors.

Private Property and Right of Access

All buildings, grounds, parking areas, facilities, offices, classrooms, ministry spaces, and other property owned, leased, occupied, or controlled by First Cedartown Church are private property. Attendance at a worship service, ministry activity, meeting, event, or other Church function does not create an unrestricted or permanent right of access to Church property. The Church reserves the right, acting through its pastors, staff, security personnel, trustees, officers, or other authorized representatives, to restrict or revoke an individual's permission to enter or remain on Church property when reasonably determined necessary to protect the safety, security, privacy, ministry activities, property, personnel, congregation, or orderly operation of the Church. Any person directed by an authorized Church representative to leave Church property must promptly do so. A person whose permission to enter Church property has been revoked may not return unless expressly authorized by the Church. When appropriate, the Church may contact law enforcement or pursue other remedies available under applicable law.

Standards of Conduct

The Church welcomes respectful questions, concerns, disagreement, and constructive criticism. However, participation in Church services, programs, events, ministries, meetings, online platforms, or other Church activities is conditioned upon appropriate conduct. The Church may take appropriate action in response to conduct including, but not limited to:

Social Media, Online Comments, and Church Platforms

The Church encourages respectful discussion and recognizes that individuals may express opinions, concerns, criticism, or disagreement concerning the Church, its leadership, ministries, policies, or activities.

The Church does not prohibit good-faith criticism or differences of opinion.

However, on websites, social-media pages, groups, livestreams, messaging services, or other digital platforms owned, administered, or moderated by the Church, the Church reserves the right to moderate, hide, restrict, or remove content and to restrict or block accounts when reasonably necessary.

This may include content containing threats, harassment, obscenity, spam, repeated disruption, impersonation, disclosure of confidential or private information, knowingly false factual allegations, or other content inconsistent with the purpose or appropriate use of the Church's platforms.

Moderation of a Church-controlled platform does not necessarily constitute a determination concerning the truth or legality of a statement.

False or Defamatory Statements

First Cedartown Church respects the right of individuals to express opinions, criticism, concerns, and personal experiences.

The Church nevertheless reserves all rights and remedies available under applicable law when an individual knowingly or recklessly publishes or communicates materially false statements of fact concerning the Church, its pastors, employees, volunteers, ministries, or representatives that cause or are reasonably likely to cause legally recognized harm.

Depending upon the circumstances, the Church may request correction or removal of inaccurate material, preserve relevant communications and records, respond publicly or privately, report content through an applicable platform's procedures, or seek advice and remedies through legal counsel.

Nothing in this policy is intended to prevent or discourage any person from making a truthful statement, expressing an opinion, reporting suspected unlawful conduct to appropriate authorities, cooperating with law enforcement, obtaining legal advice, or exercising any other right protected by applicable law.

Public Statements and Communications

Only persons specifically authorized by the Church may issue official statements on behalf of First Cedartown Church.

Statements made by individual members, attendees, volunteers, or other persons should not be represented as official statements of the Church unless the Church has expressly authorized that person to speak on its behalf. The Church may respond to public statements or allegations when Church leadership determines that a response is appropriate to correct material misinformation, protect individuals, preserve the integrity of Church operations, or address matters affecting the congregation or community. Any response will be subject to applicable privacy, confidentiality, pastoral, and legal considerations.

Photography, Recording, and Privacy on Church Property

Photography, audio recording, video recording, livestreaming, or similar activities by visitors or participants may be restricted in certain areas or circumstances to protect children, confidential communications, worship activities, security, and the privacy of members and guests. The Church reserves the right to direct any person to discontinue unauthorized recording or photography on Church property when reasonably necessary. This provision does not alter the Church's separate Privacy Policy concerning photography, video, live streaming, and the Church's use of personal information.

Protection of Children and Vulnerable Persons

The Church may immediately restrict access to Church property, ministries, or particular individuals when Church leadership reasonably determines that such action is appropriate to protect children, vulnerable persons, ministry participants, staff, volunteers, or others. Nothing in this policy limits or replaces any mandatory reporting, safeguarding, law-enforcement, or other legal obligations applicable to the Church or its personnel.

Enforcement and Reservation of Rights

The Church may apply this policy based upon the particular circumstances presented and is not required to use progressive warnings or disciplinary steps before taking action when immediate action is reasonably considered necessary. Failure to enforce a provision on one occasion does not waive the Church's right to enforce that provision in the future. Nothing in this policy creates a contractual right to enter Church property, participate in Church activities, use Church facilities, or access Church-controlled digital platforms. The Church reserves all rights and remedies available under applicable federal, state, and local law.

Questions

Questions regarding this policy may be directed to:

First Cedartown Church
101 N. College Street
Cedartown, GA 30125