Our Commitment to Your Privacy
The Forge is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care and respect. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our platform.
By creating an account and using The Forge, you authorize us to use your email address and personal information for the following purposes:
- Creating and managing your secure account
- Sending email verification during registration
- Notifying admins for account approval
- Account security and password reset communications
- Prayer-related communications and community updates
- Administrative communications related to your account
You maintain full control over your account and can request deletion at any time. Your contact information will never be shared with third parties or used for marketing purposes.
Information We Collect
Account Information
When you create an account, we collect:
- Name: Your full name for identification within the community
- Email Address: Required for account creation, login, and communications
- Password: Securely encrypted and stored (we never store plain text passwords)
- Verification Status: Email verification confirmation
- Approval Status: Admin approval for new member accounts
- Account Activity: Login history and security audit logs
Prayer Request Information
When you submit a prayer request, we collect:
- Display Name: Shown publicly on the Prayer Wall (defaults to "Anonymous" if you prefer privacy)
- Prayer Request Details: The content of your prayer request, category, tags, and any updates you provide
- Phone Number (Optional): May be used by leadership for urgent follow-up or support
Automatically Collected Information
We may collect basic technical information such as:
- Browser type and version
- Device information
- Access times and dates
- IP address (for security and rate limiting)
- Pages viewed
Account Security
We take account security seriously:
- Email Verification: All new accounts must verify their email address before approval
- Admin Approval: New members are reviewed and approved by leadership before gaining access
- Secure Passwords: Passwords are encrypted using industry-standard bcrypt hashing and never stored in plain text
- Audit Logging: We track login attempts and account changes for security purposes
- Rate Limiting: Protection against automated attacks (maximum 5 registration attempts per hour per IP address)
- Session Management: Secure session tokens with automatic expiration
Registration Process
When you create an account:
- Submit your name, email, and password on the registration page
- Receive a verification email (check your spam folder if not received)
- Click the verification link to confirm your email address
- Wait for admin approval (usually within 24 hours)
- Receive a welcome email once your account is approved
- Log in to access your dashboard and begin using The Forge
How We Use Your Information
Primary Uses
- Account Management: To create, maintain, and secure your account
- Authentication: To verify your identity when you log in
- Prayer Support: To display prayer requests on the Prayer Wall so our community can pray for you
- Dashboard Access: To provide you with a personalized dashboard to manage your prayer requests and connect with brothers
- Leadership Follow-up: To enable our leadership team to provide pastoral care and support
- Service Improvement: To understand how The Forge is being used and improve the platform
- Security: To protect against unauthorized access and maintain platform integrity
Email Communications
We will send you emails in the following circumstances:
- Account Verification: Verification email when you register (required)
- Admin Notifications: Internal notifications for account approval workflow
- Welcome Email: Confirmation once your account is approved (required)
- Password Reset: If you request a password reset
- Security Alerts: For unusual account activity or security concerns
- Optional Updates: Prayer digests and community updates if you opt-in to email subscriptions
Privacy of Prayer Requests
Anonymous by Default
Your privacy is important to us:
- Prayer requests are displayed with your chosen "Display Name" (which defaults to "Anonymous")
- Your real name, email address, and phone number are never shown publicly
- Only authorized leadership members can see your full contact information
- You can choose to make requests visible to "Leaders Only" for maximum privacy
Account Dashboard
Once logged in, you can:
- View and manage all your prayer requests in your personal dashboard
- Update prayer status (New, Ongoing, Answered, Closed)
- Add updates about how God is working or answered prayers
- Access the member roster and connect with brothers in the community
- View digital summaries from weekly gatherings
- Change your account settings and preferences
Data Storage and Security
How We Store Your Data
- All data is stored in a secure PostgreSQL database with enterprise-grade security
- Passwords are encrypted using industry-standard bcrypt hashing (never stored in plain text)
- Database access is restricted to authorized administrators only
- We maintain comprehensive audit logs of all account activity for security purposes
- We use industry-standard encryption for data transmission (HTTPS/SSL)
- Email verification tokens expire after 24 hours
- Admin approval tokens are single-use and expire after 7 days
- Regular security audits and updates are performed to maintain platform integrity
Data Retention
- Active accounts and prayer requests remain accessible while your account is active
- Closed prayers may be archived for testimony and encouragement purposes
- Email subscription data is retained until you unsubscribe or delete your account
- Audit logs are retained for security and compliance purposes
- You may request deletion of your account and data at any time by contacting leadership
Code of Conduct
The Forge is a sacred space for brothers to support one another. By using this platform, you agree to:
- Be Respectful: Treat all prayer requests and community members with dignity, compassion, and confidentiality
- Be Appropriate: Submit genuine prayer requests that are appropriate for a Christian community
- Be Trustworthy: Keep prayer requests confidential and do not share others' requests outside the community
- Be Supportive: Pray for your brothers and encourage them in their faith journey
- Be Honest: Do not submit false or misleading prayer requests or create fake accounts
- Be Kind: Refrain from judgment, negativity, or disrespectful comments
- Protect the Community: Do not use your account for unauthorized purposes or attempt to compromise platform security
Violations of this code of conduct may result in account suspension or removal from The Forge community. Our goal is to create a safe, supportive environment where brothers can share their burdens and experience the power of prayer.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we have about you
- Correction: Update or correct your personal information at any time through your account settings
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account, prayer requests, and personal data
- Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from optional email communications at any time
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format
- Security Information: Request information about how your data is secured
Third-Party Services
We use trusted third-party services to operate The Forge, including database hosting, email delivery, workflow automation, and web hosting. These services are carefully selected for their security and reliability, and are bound by their own privacy policies.
We do not sell or share your data with any third parties for marketing purposes. If you would like specific information about which third-party services we use, please contact us.
Children's Privacy
The Forge is intended for use by adults and mature teenagers within our community. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has created an account or submitted information, please contact us immediately.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify users of significant changes via email or a notice on the platform. Your continued use of The Forge after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your information is handled, please contact us at:
Email: michael.gagne@gmail.com
We will respond to your inquiry as quickly as possible and work to address any concerns you may have.
By creating an account and using The Forge, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and storage of your information as described herein. You also authorize us to use your provided email address and any other contact information for the purposes outlined in this policy.