Melissa Markle and Melissa Markle Ministries ("we," "us," "our," or "Ministry") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through www.melissamarkle.com (the "Site"), how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the Site, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly:

• Contact form submissions — name, email address, phone number, and message content

• Email list sign-up — name and email address

• Class/event registration — name, email, phone number, and any other details requested during sign-up

• Invite requests — name, organization/church, contact details, and event information

• Donations — when you give through our linked payment processor (Square), your payment is handled directly by Square; we do not collect or store your full card number. We may receive your name, email, and donation amount for record-keeping.

• Prayer requests or ministry inquiries — any personal or sensitive information you choose to share with us

Information collected automatically:

• Standard technical data such as IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and referring URLs, collected through our website platform (Squarespace) and any analytics tools we use (e.g., Google Analytics, if enabled)

• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 5)

We do not knowingly collect more information than needed to operate the Ministry, communicate with you, and process registrations or donations.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to contact form submissions and inquiries

• Send emails you've subscribed to (ministry updates, class schedules, news, and resources)

• Process and manage class or event registrations

• Process donations and maintain giving records

• Respond to invitation requests for speaking or ministry events

• Improve the Site's content, functionality, and user experience

• Comply with legal, tax, or regulatory obligations

We do not sell your personal information.

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share information with:

• Service providers who help us operate the Site and Ministry (e.g., Squarespace for website hosting, Square for payment processing, an email service provider for our mailing list). These providers only receive the information necessary to perform their function and are bound by their own privacy and security obligations.

• Legal or safety reasons — if required by law, subpoena, or legal process, or if necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Ministry, our staff, or others.

• Business transfers — if the Ministry undergoes a restructuring, the information we hold may be transferred as part of that transition.

4. Sensitive Information Shared During Ministry

If you share personal, spiritual, or sensitive information with us in the course of prayer requests, deliverance or healing ministry sessions, or pastoral counseling, we treat that information with care and confidentiality as part of our pastoral practice. We do not publish or share such information without your consent, except where we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent harm to you or others, or as required by law.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

The Site, hosted on Squarespace, may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Remember your preferences

• Understand how visitors use the Site (analytics)

• Support the functionality of embedded tools (e.g., the "Give" button, email sign-up forms)

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some functionality of the Site.

6. Third-Party Services

Our Site links to or integrates with third-party services, including:

• Squarespace (website hosting platform)

• Square (payment processing for donations)

These third parties have their own privacy policies governing how they handle your data. We encourage you to review those policies:

• Squarespace Privacy Policy: https://www.squarespace.com/privacy

• Square Privacy Policy: https://squareup.com/legal/privacy-no-account

7. Email Communications

If you sign up for our email list, we will use your email address to send ministry updates, class schedules, news, and resources. Every email includes an unsubscribe link. You may also unsubscribe by contacting us directly at [Contact Email]. We do not share your email address with unrelated third parties.

8. Children's Privacy

The Site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, including maintaining ministry, donation, and registration records, and to comply with legal or tax obligations. You may request deletion of your information as described in Section 10, subject to any records we are required to retain by law.

10. Your Choices and Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you

• Request correction of inaccurate information

• Request deletion of your information

• Opt out of email communications at any time

• Object to or restrict certain uses of your information

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@melissamarkle.com. We will respond within a reasonable time.

11. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information, including relying on the security practices of our hosting and payment providers (Squarespace, Square). However, no method of transmission or storage over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by a revised "Effective Date" at the top of this page. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please contact us at: hello@melissamarkle.com