Photo / Media Use Policy

Effective date: May 4, 2026

Masonville-Rancocas United Methodist Church uses photos, video, livestreams, and other media to share worship, ministry, fellowship, outreach, and community life. This policy explains how the Church may capture and use images or recordings and how individuals or families may raise concerns or request limits on use.

General use of media

The Church may take photographs, video recordings, audio recordings, or livestream footage during worship services, ministry events, classes, outreach activities, and other church gatherings. These images or recordings may be used on the Church's website, social media, livestreams, printed materials, email communications, presentations, or promotional materials unless an individual or parent or guardian has requested otherwise or the Church's practices require specific consent.

Group photos and opt-out practice

Adults and children may appear in group photos connected with worship services, fellowship events, ministry activities, and church life unless a parent or guardian opts out for a child or a participant requests not to be included. The Church will make reasonable efforts to honor those opt-out requests promptly and respectfully.

Consent and reasonable care

The Church seeks to use media respectfully, carefully, and in ways consistent with its ministry values. Best-practice church guidance recommends obtaining affirmative consent before posting identifiable images in some contexts and honoring later requests for removal whenever reasonably possible.

Children and minors

The Church will exercise special care with photographs and recordings of children and minors. Even when children appear in group photos, the Church may avoid posting full names alongside images and will consider parental concerns seriously. Best-practice church guidance recommends providing clear opt-out options for families and using care when publishing recognizable images of minors online.

Livestreams and worship services

If worship services or events are livestreamed or recorded, the Church may provide notice through signage, announcements, bulletins, registration materials, or online communications. The Church will make reasonable efforts to inform attendees when recording is taking place.

Vulnerable individuals and privacy concerns

The Church recognizes that some people may have personal, legal, safety, or privacy reasons for not wanting their image posted online. This may include abuse survivors, foster families, undocumented individuals, or others with sensitive circumstances. Requests for non-use or removal of media will be treated seriously and respectfully.

Opt-out and removal requests

Individuals, parents, or guardians may request that a photo, video, or recording not be used or be removed from the Church's website, social media, or other media channels. The Church will make reasonable efforts to honor opt-out and removal requests after receiving them.

Ownership and handling

Photos, videos, and recordings created for Church use are the property of Masonville-Rancocas United Methodist Church unless otherwise agreed in writing. If staff members, volunteers, or designated photographers capture media for Church purposes, the Church may require that files be provided to the Church and not reused for unrelated posting without permission.

Contact for media concerns

Parents or guardians who want a child excluded from group photos, and any adult who prefers not to appear in church media, may submit an opt-out request at any time by contacting the Church using the information below. The Church will make reasonable efforts to honor those requests promptly and respectfully.