Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 16, 2026

First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton (“FPC East Hampton,” “the Church,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of those who visit our website and communicate with us. This Privacy Policy explains how information may be collected, used, and shared through our website and related online communications.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Mailing address

  • Telephone or mobile phone number

  • Information submitted through contact, registration, prayer request, or other forms

  • Communication preferences

  • Donation or transaction information

  • Information you provide when registering for Church events, programs, or ministries

We may also receive technical information automatically when you visit our website, such as your IP address, browser and device information, pages viewed, referring pages, and information collected through cookies and similar technologies.

2. How We Use Information

We may use information collected through our website to:

  • Respond to questions and requests

  • Communicate about worship, events, programs, ministries, and Church activities

  • Send email newsletters to people who have subscribed

  • Send text messages to people who have expressly opted in

  • Process registrations or donations

  • Maintain appropriate Church and administrative records

  • Operate, secure, maintain, and improve our website

  • Understand how visitors use our website

  • Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell personal information collected through this website.

3. Website Hosting and Squarespace

Our website is hosted by Squarespace.

Squarespace may receive information about visitors necessary to operate, secure, and improve its website platform and related services. This may include information about your browser, network, device, IP address, referring webpages, and pages you visit on our website.

When you submit information through a website form, information necessary to process and manage that submission may also be provided to Squarespace.

4. Email Communications

If you opt in to receive email communications, we may use your name, email address, subscription status, and related information to send newsletters, announcements, and other Church communications.

Our email communications may be delivered through Squarespace Email Campaigns or another service provider acting on our behalf.

You may unsubscribe from promotional or newsletter emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in those messages.

5. SMS/Text Message Communications

When you expressly opt in to receive text messages from First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton, we may collect and maintain information including:

  • Your name

  • Your mobile phone number

  • Your opt-in status

  • The date and time of your opt-in

  • Information concerning your interactions with our text messages, such as responses or link interactions

We use this information to send Church-related SMS communications, which may include announcements, worship and event reminders, schedule changes, ministry information, and other updates concerning the life and activities of the Church.

We may provide information necessary to deliver these messages to Squarespace and telecommunications or technology providers acting on our behalf.

We do not sell, rent, or share your mobile phone number or SMS consent information with unaffiliated third parties for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

You may withdraw your consent and stop receiving text messages at any time by replying STOP. You may reply HELP for assistance.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply.

6. Donations and Payment Information

When you make an online donation or other payment, information necessary to process the transaction may be collected by the Church and/or a third-party payment processor.

Payment processors may collect financial information directly from you according to their own privacy policies and security practices. The Church does not necessarily receive or retain complete credit-card, debit-card, or banking information used to process an online transaction.

7. Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for the website to function and to understand how visitors interact with it.

Squarespace may use cookies for website functionality, security, analytics, and performance. Depending on our website configuration, you may be offered controls concerning nonessential cookies.

Your browser may also permit you to block or delete cookies. Doing so may affect the functionality of some portions of the website.

8. Third-Party Services and Links

Our website may contain links to websites operated by other organizations or integrate services provided by third parties. Those organizations have their own privacy practices, and this Privacy Policy does not govern websites or services that we do not control.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing them with personal information.

9. How We Share Information

We may share personal information when reasonably necessary with service providers that help us operate our website, communicate with subscribers, process donations, or otherwise provide services on our behalf.

We may also disclose information if required by law, legal process, or governmental request, or when reasonably necessary to protect the rights, safety, property, or security of the Church or others.

We do not sell personal information collected through this website.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, for legitimate Church administrative or recordkeeping purposes, or as required by applicable law.

Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the information and the reason it was collected.

11. Your Choices

You may unsubscribe from email newsletters by using the unsubscribe link included in our emails.

You may opt out of SMS communications by replying STOP to a text message.

You may also contact the Church if you wish to request that we update or correct personal information you have provided through the website. Requests concerning deletion or access will be considered in accordance with applicable law and legitimate Church recordkeeping requirements.

12. Children's Privacy

Our website is intended for a general audience and is not designed to collect personal information directly from children under 13 without appropriate involvement or consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Information concerning children that is necessary for participation in Church ministries or programs may be collected separately under appropriate Church registration, permission, or safeguarding procedures.

13. Security

We and our service providers use reasonable administrative and technical measures intended to protect information handled through the website. However, no method of transmission or electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Please avoid submitting highly sensitive or confidential information through ordinary website forms unless the form specifically requests that information.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal obligations. The effective date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised.

15. Contact Us

Questions or requests concerning this Privacy Policy or information submitted through our website may be directed to:

First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton
120 Main Street
East Hampton, NY 11937