Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Overview

Welcome to the official website of Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Mwihoko Parish (accessible at www.pceamwihokoparish.org). Mwihoko Parish comprises four congregations: PCEA Tumaini (Headquarters), PCEA Shalom, PCEA Miracle, and PCEA Emmanuel, located within Mwihoko, Kiambu County, Kenya.

We value the trust you place in us when sharing your personal information. As a Christian fellowship, we are dedicated to protecting your privacy, maintaining confidentiality, and handling personal data ethically, securely, and in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 and applicable international standards.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect information directly from you when you interact with our website, join our services, or contact parish offices:

A. Personal Information You Voluntarily Provide

• Contact & Identity Details: Full name, email address, telephone/mobile number, and physical or residential area when submitting inquiries or visitor slips.
• Pastoral & Prayer Submissions: Prayer requests, thanksgiving notes, pastoral visit requests, and spiritual counseling inquiries.
• Membership & Ministry Data: Ministry registrations (e.g., PCMF, Woman's Guild, Youth, Brigade, Church School, Praise Team), baptism/confirmation forms, and church directory updates.
• Donation & Financial Records: Reference numbers, M-Pesa transaction IDs, giving envelopes, and bank slips associated with tithes, offerings, thanksgiving, and development project pledges.

B. Automatically Collected Technical Data

• Device & Network Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, and general geographic location.
• Usage Details: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, referral source, and navigation paths across our site to help us improve user experience and defend against cyber threats.

3. Prayer Requests & Pastoral Confidentiality

We believe in the power of prayer and mutual spiritual support. When you submit a prayer request through our website:

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the data we collect solely for legitimate parish purposes, including:

1. Pastoral Care & Shepherding: Following up on visitors, providing spiritual counsel, bereavement support, visitation, and prayer intercession.
2. Parish Communication: Sending service announcements, church bulletins, event invitations, newsletter updates, and parish council notices.
3. Congregational Organization: Coordinating ministry activities across Tumaini, Shalom, Miracle, and Emmanuel churches.
4. Contribution Administration: Issuing receipts, acknowledging giving, and tracking church project pledges.
5. Site Security & Integrity: Monitoring web traffic to prevent spam, malicious bot submissions, and unauthorized access.

5. Legal Basis for Processing (Kenya DPA 2019)

Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 (Section 30), we process your personal data under the following recognized legal bases:

• Consent: When you voluntarily submit forms, join mailing lists, or request pastoral follow-up.
• Legitimate Religious Activities: Processing membership, ministry rosters, and spiritual records for the body of Christ in accordance with our church constitution.
• Legal Obligations: Retaining financial records and parish administrative filings where required by Kenyan law.

6. Giving, Tithes & Financial Data

When you give via M-Pesa Paybill, bank deposits, or designated church channels:

• We do not store debit/credit card numbers or banking PINs on our website servers.
• Payment processing is handled securely by certified financial partners (e.g., Safaricom M-Pesa, accredited Kenyan commercial banks).
• Parish finance committees maintain confidential giving records solely for audit, transparency, and accountability purposes.

7. Photography, Videography & Live Broadcasts

PCEA Mwihoko Parish conducts public Sunday worship services, choir presentations, conferences, and parish events that may be photographed, recorded, or live-streamed on digital platforms (e.g., YouTube, Facebook).

• Public Worship Notice: By participating in public church services, attendees acknowledge that general congregation photos and livestream footage may be captured for ministry outreach and archive purposes.
• Protection of Minors: We exercise special care with children and youth (Brigade, Church School). Identifiable photographs of minors are used responsibly and with parental/guardian awareness.
• Opt-Out & Removal: If you or your family member appear in a website photograph and wish for it to be removed, please contact our Parish Media Team at info@pceamwihokoparish.org and we will promptly review and take it down.

8. Data Security & Storage

We employ standard technical, operational, and organizational security measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorized access, destruction, and disclosure:

• Encryption in Transit: Our website enforces HTTPS / SSL encryption for all data submitted through web forms.
• Access Controls: Database and administrative access is restricted strictly to authorized parish elders, ministers, and secretariat personnel.
• Retention Periods: We retain personal records only for as long as necessary to fulfill the spiritual and administrative purposes for which they were collected.

9. Sharing & Third-Party Service Providers

We never sell personal information. We only disclose information in limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted web hosting, email infrastructure (PHPMailer / SMTP), and SMS delivery providers bound by strict confidentiality obligations.
• Legal & Safety Requirements: If required by valid court orders, Kenyan statutory authorities, or to protect the safety of members, staff, or the public.

10. Your Data Protection Rights

In accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, you have the right to:

• Access: Request confirmation of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information.
• Erasure / Deletion: Request the deletion of your personal records where there is no ongoing legal or administrative requirement to retain them.
• Withdraw Consent: Opt-out at any time from receiving non-essential church communications or newsletters.
• Lodge a Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) of Kenya if you believe your data rights have been violated.

11. Cookies & Analytics

Our website uses essential session cookies to ensure secure navigation, CSRF protection on forms, and optimal site rendering. We do not use third-party behavioral advertising cookies. You can manage or disable cookies via your browser settings; however, certain interactive forms may require session cookies to operate properly.

12. Contact & Data Protection Inquiries

If you have any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled by PCEA Mwihoko Parish, please contact us: