At Gracecity, we care deeply about your privacy and the trust you place in us. This policy explains how we collect, store, use, and protect your personal information. The Privacy Act 2020 guides how we handle personal information, and we’re committed to meeting our obligations with care, respect, and transparency.

Key Points

• We collect certain personal information to help us serve you and carry out our role as a church community.

• We collect personal information directly from you wherever possible, and sometimes collect and generate it in the course of our work.

• We only use your information for the purpose it was collected, and will not keep it for longer than it’s needed.

• We have reasonable safeguards, policies and procedures in place to protect your information.

• We only use trusted third-party services to manage data, such as Xero, Google and Planning Centre. All our digital service providers meet the standards to operate in Aotearoa New Zealand.

• You can ask us to supply, correct or remove your personal information at any time. We take care to ensure your requests are handled fairly and within required timeframes. We aim to be as open as possible, provided we do not compromise the trust, safety, privacy, or legal rights of others.

Personal Data

The personal information we may collect from you includes:

• Name, age, and other demographic data

• Contact details

• Gracecity location attended

• Event registrations

• Donations and giving records

• Pastoral notes from your interactions with us

• Your likeness (photos/videos where you’re identifiable)

Providing information to us is optional. We’ll always aim to be clear about why we’re collecting information and how it helps us care for you well. If you choose not to provide certain information, we may be unable to provide you with specific services or support.

We collect personal information in order to:

• fulfil our role as a church and support our community

• provide pastoral care

• keep you informed about what’s happening at Gracecity

• comply with legal requirements (e.g. charitable donation receipts)

• protect children and young people

• manage registrations for conferences and events

• improve how we serve and communicate with you

• rostering volunteers

• complete internal analysis and reporting

• Health, safety, wellbeing, and security purposes

We generally do not share your information with third parties, except where required for digital services. We take care to ensure any platforms we use meet New Zealand privacy requirements. Our frequently utilised services are: Xero, Google / G Suite, Planning Center.

Where required by law (to assist with investigations, or if there is a serious threat to health or safety) we may also disclose personal information to the NZ Police or other regulatory agencies.

Photography & Video

You may notice signage in our facilities letting you know that we may take photographs and record video during services and events–including livestreaming. This media may include identifiable individuals and may be used for promotional purposes, including social media.

If you’d prefer not to be included, you can let us know at any time by filling out the Privacy Enquiry Form.

No identifiable photos or videos of children (ages 0-13) will be used without parental/caregiver written consent.

No identifiable photos or videos of young people (ages 14-17) will be used without their written consent.

Children and Young People

We recognise that children and young people need extra care when it comes to privacy, and their safety and wellbeing are a high priority for us. We have extra safeguards on their personal information.

We may collect information about children and young people for the following purposes:

• Security and safety – CCTV used for security, and health and safety purposes.

• Events and camps – registration forms which include demographic information, standard personal details, emergency contacts, and relevant health information (eg: if accommodations are needed for allergies or disabilities).

• Family connections – we may record information about parents/caregivers and family relationships for communication and protection reasons.

• Health information – details such as allergies, medical conditions, or accessibility needs may be collected so we can keep children safe and supported.

• Additional information – parents/caregivers may choose to share other details to help us provide appropriate care.

Staff and volunteers will not disclose any personal information about a child or young person– including whether they attend Gracecity or are onsite at a particular time– to anyone other than their registered parent/caregiver, or where disclosure is required by law (e.g. to police, healthcare professionals, or child protection authorities).

We follow strict guidelines for photography, video, and social media involving children and young people. You can check out this consent form here.

Please note that Sunday services at our Greenlane and Howick locations are live-streamed and uploaded to our public YouTube channels – if you allow your child/young person to take part in on-stage activities, they may be included in these streams.

Security

CCTV cameras operate at some Gracecity locations. Footage is recorded and retained for health and safety, and security purposes (including child protection). Recorded footage is only accessible to authorised staff, and will not be disclosed except with consent, in allegations of misconduct, or in consultation with NZ Police or other regulatory bodies (e.g., Worksafe). Footage is deleted when no longer required for security or operational reasons. Signage is displayed where CCTV is in use.

At our Greenlane location, CCTV audio is recorded at the main point of entry in the foyer. All other interior cameras capture visuals only.

Social Media

Gracecity uses social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) to share content and information about services, events and other activities. When you engage with us on these platforms, they may collect personal information for their own purposes under their independent privacy policies. These third parties do not have access to personal information held by Gracecity.

Websites & Apps

When you visit our websites or apps, we may collect information such as:

• IP address

• Search terms used

• Pages visited and links clicked

• Date, time, and referring site

• Operating system and browser type

This information is used for analytics and service improvement. Cookies may be used, but are not linked to personal identity.

How to Unsubscribe

If you’d prefer not to receive certain communications from Gracecity, you can use the unsubscribe link in our emails, update your subscription preferences in the Church Center app, or contact us directly at hello@gracecity.nz with your name, email address, and letting us know which communications you no longer wish to receive.

You will receive an email confirmation that your request has been actioned.

Please note that annual donation receipts will still be sent via email.

Data Retention

We only retain personal information for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected. We periodically review the personal information we hold to assess its relevance, and we may get in touch with you directly to help us confirm this.

Once data is no longer required, it is securely disposed of.

Accessing or Correcting Your Information

You have the right to access and correct your personal information. For registered members of our Church, most of your personal information can be accessed through the Church Centre app.

To make a request, or for any other enquiries regarding your information, please fill out the following form and our Privacy Officer will be in touch within 20 working days.

If you request certain personal information, we may need to verify your identity before releasing it.

This could include confirming details we already hold on record, requesting additional proof of identity, or arranging for collection in person. This is to ensure information is only disclosed to the appropriate person.

If there are reasonable grounds for withholding disclosure of certain personal information, you will be provided:

• a written explanation of why the information is being withheld

• our internal privacy complaints process

• how to lodge a report with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, should we be unable to resolve your complaint

If you have any questions or concerns, we’re always happy to help — please don’t hesitate to get in touch.