Privacy Policy

Overview

Orthodox Churches of North Carolina ("we," "our," or "this directory") is a community resource maintained by volunteers for the benefit of the Orthodox faithful and inquirers throughout North Carolina. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that information. We are committed to handling any data with care and transparency.

Information We Collect

We collect a limited amount of information in the following ways:

• Information you provide voluntarily — If you submit a review, correction request, or contact us by email, we receive whatever you choose to share (e.g., your name, email address, and message).
• Automatically collected data — Like most websites, our server may log standard technical information such as your IP address, browser type, referring URL, and pages visited. This data is used solely for diagnosing errors and understanding aggregate traffic. It is not linked to any personally identifiable profile.
• Local browser storage — We store today's scripture verse in your browser's localStorage so it loads quickly on return visits. No personal data is involved and this storage never leaves your device.

Parish & Clergy Information

All parish data — including church names, addresses, service times, website URLs, and clergy names and contact details — is sourced from publicly available parish websites, official diocesan directories, and Google Calendar feeds that parishes have made public. We do not publish any information that is not already publicly accessible.

How We Use Information

Any information collected is used only to:

• Operate and improve this directory
• Respond to your messages or correction requests
• Diagnose technical issues
• Understand broad, anonymous usage patterns

We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. We do not run advertising of any kind.

Third-Party Services

This site may interact with the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:

• Google Maps API — Used to display the parish map. Google may collect usage data per the Google Privacy Policy.
• Google Fonts — Fonts are loaded from Google's servers. Google may log font requests per their privacy policy.
• Google Calendar — Parish service schedules are pulled from publicly shared Google Calendars. No personal data is transmitted.

Cookies

This site does not use tracking cookies or advertising cookies. We use browser localStorage (not cookies) for the scripture verse cache described above. No cross-site tracking occurs.

Children's Privacy

This directory is a general community resource and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently received information from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

Data Retention & Security

Contact form submissions and emails are retained only as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry and are then deleted. We take reasonable precautions to protect information in our possession, though no internet transmission is completely secure. We encourage you not to send sensitive personal information via email.

Your Rights

You may, at any time:

• Request to know what personal information (if any) we hold about you
• Request correction or deletion of your information
• Ask us to remove a review you submitted
• Request that parish or clergy information be updated or removed

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

Disclaimer

The information in this directory is provided in good faith for community use. While we make every effort to keep parish details accurate, service times, clergy assignments, and contact information can change without notice. We are not responsible for errors or outdated information. Always verify details directly with the parish before visiting.

This site is an independent community directory and is not an official publication of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Orthodox Church in America, or any other jurisdiction. Jurisdiction names and related marks are the property of their respective organizations and are used for identification purposes only.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by a new "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the directory after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.