Effective date: September 20, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Asbury United Methodist Church of Columbus, Indiana (“Asbury,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects information when you visit asburycolumbus.org (the “Site”).
Information We Collect
Information You Provide to Us
When you fill out a form on this Site — such as Get Connected, Prayer Request, Child Protection, or an event registration — we collect the information you choose to submit, which may include your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and the content of your message or request. Some event registrations are processed through PayPal; we do not collect or store your payment card details ourselves — that information is handled directly by PayPal under its own privacy policy.
Information Collected Automatically
Like most websites, we automatically collect certain information when you visit the Site, including pages viewed, approximate location (derived from IP address), device and browser type, how you arrived at the Site (including which link, post, or QR code you followed), and how you interact with the page (such as clicks, scrolling, and form submissions). We collect this information using Google Analytics, described below.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
The Site uses cookies and similar technologies (through Google Analytics) to distinguish visitors and understand how the Site is used. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings; doing so may affect how some parts of the Site function. You can also opt out of Google Analytics tracking specifically using Google’s Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Respond to the requests you submit through our forms (visit planning, prayer requests, event registration, and similar)
- Operate, maintain, and improve the Site
- Understand which communication channels (social media, email, YouTube, print, and QR codes) are effective, so we can make better decisions about outreach
- Communicate with you if you’ve asked us to follow up
Third-Party Services
We use a small number of third-party services to operate the Site:
- Google Analytics — helps us understand Site traffic and engagement. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
- YouTube — sermon and livestream videos embedded on the Site are hosted by YouTube (Google), which may set its own cookies when a video is played. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
- Forminator — the form plugin that powers our forms. Submissions are stored on our own Site and are not sent to any outside company by the plugin itself.
- PayPal — processes payment for any paid event registrations. See PayPal’s Privacy Policy.
- Akismet — filters spam from Site forms and comments. See Automattic’s Privacy Policy.
Sharing of Information
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share the information you submit with outside organizations except: with service providers who help us operate the Site (like those listed above, each governed by their own privacy policy), or when required to do so by law.
Data Retention
We retain form submissions for as long as needed to respond to your request and for reasonable record-keeping afterward. Google Analytics data is retained according to our Google Analytics account settings. You can ask us to delete information you’ve submitted at any time using the contact information below.
Children’s Privacy
This Site is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through this Site without parental involvement (for example, a parent submitting a Child Protection form on behalf of their family).
Your Choices
You may:
- Decline to submit a form if you’d prefer not to share information with us
- Opt out of Google Analytics tracking using the browser add-on linked above, or by adjusting your browser’s cookie settings
- Contact us at any time to ask what information we have about you, or to request that it be corrected or deleted
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Effective date” above reflects the most recent revision.
Contact Us
Questions about this Privacy Policy, or requests regarding your information, can be sent to:
Asbury United Methodist Church
1751 27th Street
Columbus, IN 47201
Email: asbury@asburycolumbus.org
Phone: (812) 372-4555