As a church administrator I have been confronted with this problem frequently - our online directory is password protected and I don't give out people's contact information unless it's to another member who could also access that information through our protected online directory. If I get calls from outside sources asking for contact info, even denominationally, I will take their information and forward to the person they are asking about so they can choose to communicate directly if they would like. I also frequently get people using my personal email address for work related conversations and it is frustrating to consistently remind people to differentiate between my work and home life and different email addresses for each.
It is unfortunate that the person who took over your account chose to communicate with you via email without your permission and that is, in my opinion, a misuse of information they were privy to strictly for other purposes. A kind but well placed word to them might be in good order.
As an individual who uses the professional services of members of our congregation I am always checking to make sure that I am contacting them appropriately (personal vs. professional email and phone numbers) and even asking if they view it as a conflict to handle my accounts/needs, etc. Some of those in leadership roles in our church have asked that their personal information not be included on Classical or Denominational forms or websites (such as the Yearbook) and that all communication regarding their role in the church be funnelled through the church office. Others do not set such strict boundaries.
Two years ago we pulled some stats out of our library usage records and found that nearly 2/3 of the books in our "library" had never been checked out. Of the remaining 1/3 we checked authors in our collection against their availability in the public library and found that most were freely and readily accessible 6 days a week at a neighbourhood, local library. It seemed less than a good use of space to hold these volumes in our church for congregants to access for an hour after worship on Sunday.
So, we offered them to our congregation and whatever they didn't take we packed into boxes and gave to a local charitable book store. They are gone and that space is being repurposed and, for us, that is a good thing!
Posted in: Policy on Churches Protecting Personal Email Addresses
As a church administrator I have been confronted with this problem frequently - our online directory is password protected and I don't give out people's contact information unless it's to another member who could also access that information through our protected online directory. If I get calls from outside sources asking for contact info, even denominationally, I will take their information and forward to the person they are asking about so they can choose to communicate directly if they would like. I also frequently get people using my personal email address for work related conversations and it is frustrating to consistently remind people to differentiate between my work and home life and different email addresses for each.
It is unfortunate that the person who took over your account chose to communicate with you via email without your permission and that is, in my opinion, a misuse of information they were privy to strictly for other purposes. A kind but well placed word to them might be in good order.
As an individual who uses the professional services of members of our congregation I am always checking to make sure that I am contacting them appropriately (personal vs. professional email and phone numbers) and even asking if they view it as a conflict to handle my accounts/needs, etc. Some of those in leadership roles in our church have asked that their personal information not be included on Classical or Denominational forms or websites (such as the Yearbook) and that all communication regarding their role in the church be funnelled through the church office. Others do not set such strict boundaries.
Posted in: Is There Still a Place for Church Libraries?
Two years ago we pulled some stats out of our library usage records and found that nearly 2/3 of the books in our "library" had never been checked out. Of the remaining 1/3 we checked authors in our collection against their availability in the public library and found that most were freely and readily accessible 6 days a week at a neighbourhood, local library. It seemed less than a good use of space to hold these volumes in our church for congregants to access for an hour after worship on Sunday.
So, we offered them to our congregation and whatever they didn't take we packed into boxes and gave to a local charitable book store. They are gone and that space is being repurposed and, for us, that is a good thing!