Our commitment to respectful, secure communication with our church family

Our Communication Philosophy

At First Baptist Church Monterey, we believe communication should be purposeful, respectful, and secure. We are committed to keeping your personal information safe, protected, and unshared. Your privacy and consent are paramount to us, and we operate with the highest standards of data protection and respect for your communication preferences.

How We Communicate

We use a trusted church management system called “grplife” (Church Software by grplife) to manage our communications and provide you with a secure user portal for church interactions. This system helps us maintain organized, secure communication while respecting your preferences.

Our communications may include:

• Weekly announcements and church news
• Event notifications and reminders
• Prayer requests and spiritual encouragement
• Important church updates and information
• Service changes or special notices

Text Message (SMS) Communications

Getting Started

Text message communications are completely opt-in. To receive text messages from us, you must first complete our registration form at fbcmonterey.org/connect and specifically elect to receive SMS messages.

Consent Process

Upon registration, if you choose to receive text messages, we will send you an initial consent message that reads: “First Baptist Church Monterey would like to send you sms messages – START or STOP”. You must respond with “START” to confirm your consent before we send any subsequent messages.

Message Frequency

We send text messages occasionally to keep you informed about upcoming events and important church news. These are generally no more than 4 messages per month.

How to Stop Messages

You have complete control. At any time, you can:

• Send “STOP” to our church phone number: 831-373-3289
• This will immediately cease all text correspondence from our church
• The process follows Twilio compliance standards for opt-out procedures

Email Communications

Registration and Consent

Similar to text messages, email communications begin when you complete our registration process and choose to receive emails from us.

Unsubscribing

Every email we send includes an unsubscribe link at the bottom. Simply click this link to be removed from our email communications at any time.

What to Expect

Our emails include the same types of information as our text messages, with occasional longer-form content such as newsletters, detailed event information, and spiritual resources.

Your Data Privacy Rights

We are committed to protecting your personal information with the highest standards:

Data Security: Your contact information is stored securely in our church management system and is never shared with third parties for marketing or other purposes.

Limited Access: Only authorized church staff have access to your contact information, and it is used solely for church communication purposes.

Your Control: You maintain complete control over your communication preferences and can opt out of any or all communications at any time.

No Sharing: We never sell, rent, or share your contact information with outside organizations or businesses.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about our communication practices, need help managing your preferences, or want to discuss your privacy concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to serve you and want to ensure your communication experience with our church family is positive and respectful.

Your participation in our church community communications is valued, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to stay connected with you in ways that honor your preferences and privacy.