Privacy Policy

Last updated:  2026

1. Introduction

Presence Church respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us.

This Privacy Policy explains how Presence Church collects, uses, stores and protects personal information through our website, online forms, events, ministries and related church activities.

By using this website or submitting information to us, you acknowledge the practices described in this policy.

2. Responsible Party

For purposes of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”), the responsible party is:

Organisation: Presence Church
Physical address: 28 Meyer Street, Middelburg, Mpumalanga
Email: info@presencechurch.co.za
Telephone/WhatsApp: 063 705 5437
Information Officer: Willem Cilliers
Information Officer email: Willem@presencechurch.co.za

3. Information We May Collect

We may collect:

  • Full name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Home address, where necessary
  • Age or date of birth
  • Information about children attending church programmes
  • Emergency contact information
  • Ministry, membership or serving interests
  • Event registration details
  • Prayer requests, praise reports and pastoral enquiries
  • Counselling or support requests
  • First-time visitor information
  • Communication preferences
  • Donation or transaction references
  • Website usage, browser, device and IP information
  • Photographs or videos where appropriate consent has been obtained
  • Any other information you voluntarily provide

We request only information reasonably required for the relevant purpose.

4. How We Collect Information

Information may be collected when you:

  • Complete a website form
  • Plan a visit
  • Register for an event
  • Submit a prayer request
  • Request counselling or pastoral support
  • Join a ministry, Life Group or Serving Team
  • Apply for membership, discipleship or baptism
  • Subscribe to church communications
  • Contact us by telephone, email or WhatsApp
  • Make an online donation
  • Visit or interact with our website
  • Provide information during church activities

5. How We Use Your Information

Presence Church may use personal information to:

  • Respond to enquiries
  • Welcome and assist new visitors
  • Process ministry and event registrations
  • Coordinate baptisms, membership, discipleship and Life Groups
  • Respond to prayer, pastoral-care or counselling requests
  • Communicate service, ministry and event information
  • Manage volunteers and serving teams
  • Safeguard children participating in church programmes
  • Issue first-time visitor coffee vouchers
  • Process and record donations
  • Maintain appropriate church administration records
  • Improve the website and church services
  • Meet legal, financial and safeguarding obligations
  • Prevent fraud, misuse and security incidents

We will not use personal information for an unrelated purpose unless legally permitted or additional consent has been obtained.

6. Lawful Processing

We process personal information when:

  • You have given consent
  • Processing is required to provide a requested service
  • Processing is necessary to meet a legal obligation
  • Processing protects a legitimate interest
  • Processing is necessary for the proper administration of church activities

You may withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. Withdrawal does not invalidate processing that occurred before consent was withdrawn.

7. Prayer, Counselling and Pastoral Information

Prayer requests and pastoral or counselling enquiries may contain sensitive personal information.

This information will be handled with additional care and shared only with appropriate church leaders, pastoral staff or prayer-team members who reasonably require access.

Please avoid providing sensitive information about another person without their knowledge or permission.

Submitting a prayer or counselling request does not create a professional medical, psychological, legal or emergency-services relationship.

8. Information About Children

Presence Church takes the privacy and safety of children seriously.

Where information about a child is required, we may request consent from a parent or legal guardian. This may include information required for Rising Kids, youth activities, event registration, safety, communication and emergency purposes.

Children should not submit personal information through the website without the involvement of a parent or legal guardian where such involvement is legally required.

9. Photographs and Videos

Presence Church may photograph or record services, events and public church gatherings for communication, ministry and promotional purposes.

Where individual consent is required—particularly for children or identifiable private situations—we will take reasonable steps to obtain it.

You may contact us if you have a reasonable concern about a photograph or video in which you appear.

10. Donations and Payments

Online payments are processed by third-party payment providers such as Yoco.

Presence Church does not directly store your complete card or banking credentials. Payment providers process information according to their own privacy policies and security procedures.

We may retain transaction references and other information required for financial administration, reporting and legal compliance.

11. Third-Party Service Providers

We may use trusted service providers for:

  • Website hosting and maintenance
  • Website forms and email delivery
  • Payment processing
  • Analytics
  • Spam protection and website security
  • YouTube video feeds
  • Google Maps
  • Social media
  • Communication and administration

These providers may process limited information on our behalf or under their own privacy terms. We take reasonable steps to use providers capable of protecting personal information.

Some providers may process information outside South Africa. Where this happens, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate protections apply.

12. Cookies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Enable essential website functions
  • Remember user preferences
  • Protect forms from spam
  • Measure website traffic and performance
  • Display embedded maps, videos or social-media content

You may restrict cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

Where legally required, non-essential cookies will only be activated after the relevant consent has been obtained.

13. Direct Communications

If you have consented to receive church news, event information or other communications, we may contact you by email, telephone, SMS or WhatsApp.

You may unsubscribe or request that these communications stop at any time. Essential administrative messages relating to something you requested may still be sent.

We do not sell personal information or contact lists.

14. Sharing Personal Information

We may share information with:

  • Authorised church staff and leaders
  • Relevant ministry, pastoral or prayer-team members
  • Service providers assisting with church operations
  • Payment and technology providers
  • Legal or regulatory authorities where required
  • Emergency services where necessary to protect a person

We will not disclose personal information unnecessarily or sell it to third parties.

15. Security

Presence Church uses reasonable administrative and technical safeguards to protect personal information against:

  • Loss
  • Unauthorised access
  • Misuse
  • Alteration
  • Disclosure
  • Destruction

No website or electronic transmission is completely secure. If a significant security incident affects your information, we will respond and provide notification where required by law.

16. Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

  • Fulfil the purpose for which it was collected
  • Maintain appropriate church records
  • Resolve enquiries
  • Meet safeguarding requirements
  • Comply with financial, tax or legal obligations
  • Establish or defend legal rights

Information that is no longer required will be securely deleted, destroyed or de-identified where reasonably possible.

17. Your Rights

Subject to POPIA, you may request that Presence Church:

  • Confirm whether we hold your personal information
  • Provide access to your personal information
  • Correct incomplete or inaccurate information
  • Delete information where legally appropriate
  • Stop or restrict certain processing
  • Stop direct communications
  • Explain how your information is being used

We may need to verify your identity before processing a request.

18. Complaints

Privacy questions or requests should first be sent to:

Presence Church Information Officer
Email: willem@presencechurch.co.za
Telephone: 063 705 5437

You may also submit a complaint to the South African Information Regulator through its official channels. Information Regulator

19. External Links

Our website may link to third-party websites and platforms. Presence Church does not control their privacy or security practices. You should review their policies before providing personal information.

20. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, website or legal responsibilities change. The latest version and effective date will appear on this page.