Introduction
CrossLife Church is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and any applicable state or territory legislation.
This policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and protect personal information. By engaging with our church, attending our services, using our website or providing us with your personal information, you acknowledge that your information will be handled in accordance with this policy.
What personal information we collect
The types of personal information we may collect include:
- Contact details — name, address, phone number, email address
- Date of birth and age — for age-appropriate ministry placement and pastoral care
- Church involvement records — attendance, membership status, ministry participation, small group involvement
- Financial information — giving and donation records, as voluntarily provided
- Health and medical information — allergies, medical conditions, emergency contacts, dietary requirements (collected with your consent and only where necessary, such as for camps or events)
- Religious beliefs and affiliations — as relevant to your participation in church life
- Photographs and video recordings — taken during services, events and church activities
- Volunteer and Safe Ministry information — Working With Children Check numbers, Safe Ministry training records, National Police Check results
- Communication records — correspondence with the church by email, phone or other means
We only collect sensitive information (such as health or religious information) with your consent, or where permitted or required by law.
How we collect your information
We collect personal information in a number of ways, including:
- Directly from you — when you fill out Connect Cards, registration forms, event sign-ups, or other church forms (in print or online)
- In person — during conversations, pastoral meetings or church activities
- By phone, email or online — when you contact us, subscribe to communications, or submit information through our website
- Through our website — via contact forms, event registration and other online interactions
- From photographs and recordings — voice and image recordings made during services and events
- Via social media — when you interact with our social media pages or accounts
- From third parties — such as background check agencies (for volunteer screening) or other churches transferring membership information with your knowledge
You are not required to provide us with personal information. However, if you choose not to, it may limit your ability to participate in certain church activities, ministries or events.
Why we collect and how we use your information
We collect and use personal information for purposes including:
- Pastoral care — providing spiritual support, prayer and follow-up
- Ministry activities — facilitating your involvement in services, small groups, events, camps and programs
- Communication — sending church updates, newsletters, event invitations and other relevant information
- Administration — maintaining accurate membership and attendance records, processing donations and issuing receipts
- Volunteer management — coordinating volunteer rosters, training and compliance with Safe Ministry requirements
- Safety and compliance — meeting our legal obligations including child protection and workplace health and safety
- Facility management — managing venue hire and related bookings
We will not use your personal information for purposes other than those outlined above without first obtaining your consent, unless required or authorised by law.
Disclosure of your information
We may share your personal information with:
- Ministry partners — other churches or Christian organisations we partner with for ministry activities, with your knowledge
- Technology service providers — platforms we use to manage church operations, communications and our website (such as Cloudflare for website hosting and YouTube for sermon streaming)
- Background check bodies — government agencies and screening organisations for Working With Children Checks and other volunteer compliance requirements
- Insurers — where necessary for the administration of insurance policies
- Legal authorities — where required or authorised by Australian law
We do not sell, rent or exchange your personal information to or with any third party for their marketing purposes.
We take reasonable steps to ensure that any third party receiving your information handles it in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.
Photographs and video
CrossLife Church regularly records and live-streams its services. By attending a service, you acknowledge that you may be captured in photographs, video or audio recordings.
Our approach to photographs and video includes:
- Permission — we seek permission before taking and using photos or video of individuals for promotional purposes
- Children and minors — photographs of children focus on activities rather than identifiable individuals. We obtain parental or guardian consent before publishing identifiable images of minors
- Opt-out — if you do not wish to appear in photographs, video or live-stream footage, please let a member of our team know so we can make reasonable arrangements
- Promotional use — images used on our website, social media or printed materials are selected with care and respect for the individuals pictured
If you have concerns about a specific photograph or recording, please contact us and we will address the matter promptly.
Data storage and security
We store personal information in secure electronic systems and, where applicable, in locked physical storage. We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure, including:
- Restricting access to personal information to authorised personnel on a need-to-know basis
- Using password-protected systems and encrypted connections where appropriate
- Regularly reviewing our information handling practices
We will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information when it is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we are required by law to retain it.
Third-party services and website
Our website is hosted on Cloudflare Pages. Sermon recordings are embedded via YouTube. These third-party services have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.
Our website may use cookies or similar technologies for functional purposes such as maintaining session state. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.
Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any website you visit.
Accessing and correcting your information
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request corrections if it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.
To make a request, please contact us using the details below. We may require you to verify your identity before processing your request. We aim to respond to access and correction requests within 14 days.
If you would like your personal information deleted, please let us know. We will honour your request unless we are legally required or authorised to retain the information.
Complaints
If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or mishandled your personal information, please contact us using the details below. We will investigate your complaint and respond as soon as practicable.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
- Website: www.oaic.gov.au
- Phone: 1300 363 992
Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The updated policy will be made available on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:
- Email: allcsecretary@gmail.com
- Address: 8 Wall Ave, Asquith NSW 2077, Australia