Privacy Policy

Deliverance Church International Riruta ("DC Riruta," "the Church," "we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with integrity, as guided by our Christian values. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you visit our website at www.dcriruta.org or interact with our ministry services.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily share with us when you:

• Submit a Contact Form: Name, email address, phone number, and message content
• Request Prayer: Name, email, phone number, and details of your prayer request (handled with strict confidentiality)
• Join a Ministry: Name, email, phone number, and ministry interest preferences
• Make a Donation or Offering: Name, contact information, and payment details (processed securely through third-party payment providers)
• Register for Events: Name, contact information, and event-specific details
• Subscribe to Communications: Email address for newsletters and church updates

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information:

• IP address (anonymized for analytics purposes)
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on our website
• Referring website or source
• General geographic location (country/city level, not precise)

This information is collected through Google Analytics and cookies. See our Cookie Policy for more details.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes related to our church mission:

Ministry and Pastoral Care

• Responding to prayer requests with care and confidentiality
• Connecting you with appropriate ministries and small groups
• Providing pastoral support and follow-up
• Facilitating your participation in church programs and events

Communication

• Responding to your inquiries and requests
• Sending church announcements, event invitations, and newsletters
• Sharing important updates about services and activities
• Confirmation emails for form submissions and donations

Donations and Financial Stewardship

• Processing tithes, offerings, and special contributions
• Providing donation receipts for tax purposes (where applicable)
• Maintaining accurate giving records as required by law

Website Improvement

• Understanding how visitors use our website
• Improving our online ministry resources and content
• Ensuring website security and preventing abuse

3. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your information seriously and implement appropriate safeguards:

• Encryption: Our website uses SSL/TLS encryption (HTTPS) to protect data in transit
• Secure Forms: All forms are protected with security measures to prevent spam and abuse
• Limited Access: Only authorized church staff and volunteers have access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Third-Party Security: We use reputable third-party services (Resend for emails, YouTube for streaming) that maintain their own security standards
• Prayer Request Confidentiality: Prayer requests are treated with the highest level of confidentiality and shared only with our prayer team

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We respect your privacy and do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

Within Our Church Community

• With ministry leaders to facilitate your involvement in church activities
• With our pastoral team for spiritual care and support (with your consent)
• With affiliated Deliverance Church International assemblies for denominational purposes (only when necessary)

With Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party services that help us operate our website and ministry:

• Resend: For sending email confirmations and communications
• Google Analytics: For website analytics (anonymized data)
• YouTube: For live streaming and video content
• Vercel: For website hosting

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required to:

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes
• Respond to lawful requests from public authorities
• Protect the rights, safety, or property of our church, members, or others

5. Your Rights and Choices

We respect your right to control your personal information. You may:

• Access Your Information: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correct Your Information: Ask us to update or correct inaccurate information
• Delete Your Information: Request that we delete your personal information (subject to legal and administrative requirements)
• Unsubscribe: Opt out of email communications at any time using the unsubscribe link in our emails
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent for specific uses of your information

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@dcriruta.org.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Contact Inquiries: Retained for up to 2 years after your last interaction
• Prayer Requests: Retained securely for the duration needed for pastoral follow-up, then deleted or anonymized
• Ministry Membership: Retained while you are active in the ministry and for 2 years after
• Donation Records: Retained as required by Kenyan tax and nonprofit regulations (typically 7 years)
• Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymized data may be retained indefinitely

7. Children's Privacy

We are committed to protecting children's privacy. Our website is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent.

For our children's and youth ministries, we collect information about minors only with parental/guardian consent and use it solely for ministry purposes such as registration for Sunday School, youth events, or other church programs.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

8. International Visitors

DC Riruta is located in Nairobi, Kenya. If you are visiting our website from outside Kenya, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Kenya where our servers are located and our database is operated.

By using our website or providing us with your information, you consent to this transfer. We will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, such as social media platforms, payment processors, or other organizations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page
• Post a notice on our website (for significant changes)
• Notify you via email if you have provided your email address (for major changes)

We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us. We are committed to addressing your concerns promptly and thoroughly.