What’s App Community Guidelines for WaterWays Vineyard Church

Purpose

Our WhatsApp communities and groups exist to help us stay connected, share useful information, encourage one another, and support the life and mission of the Church WaterWays Vineyard church.

WhatsApp should support, not replace, the relationships we build face to face. Wherever possible, important conversations, care, encouragement, disagreement, and pastoral support should happen in person or through direct conversation rather than in a group chat.

By being part of any WaterWays Vineyard church WhatsApp community or group, you are agreeing to follow these guidelines.

1. Privacy and data awareness

WhatsApp is owned and operated by Meta.

Although WhatsApp describes messages as end-to-end encrypted, users should assume that Meta may still process some data connected with their use of WhatsApp, including account information, device information, usage patterns, group membership, contact relationships, and other metadata.

By joining a church WhatsApp community or group, you acknowledge that your phone number, profile name, and profile image may be visible to other members, although WhatsApp is expected to move towards usernames and tighter privacy controls over the coming months.

Please do not share anyone else’s personal information, phone number, photos, prayer requests, or private circumstances without their clear permission.

2. Respectful communication

All communication should reflect Christian love, kindness, patience, and respect.

Please do not post or send:

  • abusive, threatening, or intimidating messages

  • gossip, slander, or personal criticism

  • explicit, offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content

  • repeated arguments or inflammatory comments

  • political campaigning or divisive material unrelated to church life

  • spam, advertising, or promotional content without permission

If a conversation becomes tense, sensitive, or personal, please pause and take it offline rather than continuing in the group.

3. Contacting people directly

Please do not use the WhatsApp community to obtain someone’s number and then message them directly if you do not already know them or have a clear reason to contact them.

Before sending a direct message, ask yourself:

  • Do I know this person?

  • Would they reasonably expect me to message them?

  • Is this message appropriate, necessary, and respectful?

  • Would it be better to speak in person or ask a group admin first?

Unwanted, intrusive, or persistent direct messages are not acceptable.

4. Under 18s and personal contact

Where under 18s are part of the same WhatsApp group, community, or chat, adults must not use that shared space as a reason to make new personal contact with them.

There must be no direct personal contact with under 18s outside of contact that already legitimately exists, for example through an established family relationship, an agreed church role, or an approved safeguarding-aware communication channel.

Adults must not:

  • use the group to obtain or save an under 18’s phone number

  • begin private one-to-one messaging with an under 18

  • move a conversation with an under 18 from the group into a private chat

  • send personal, informal, secretive, or unnecessary messages to an under 18

  • continue contact if it has not been clearly agreed and appropriately authorised

If communication with an under 18 is necessary for church purposes, it should follow the church safeguarding process, involve parents/carers where appropriate, and use agreed channels with suitable oversight.

5. Pastoral care and safeguarding

WhatsApp is not the right place for significant pastoral conversations, counselling, complaints, disclosures, or safeguarding concerns.

Please do not use WhatsApp groups for:

  • serious pastoral issues

  • safeguarding disclosures

  • confidential prayer requests without consent

  • conflict resolution

  • counselling-style conversations

  • urgent emergency support

If you need pastoral support, please contact a church leader directly through the appropriate channel.

If there is an immediate risk of harm, contact the emergency services.

If a safeguarding concern is raised, it must be passed to the church safeguarding lead through the church’s safeguarding process and not handled in the WhatsApp group.

6. Group content and tone

Please keep posts relevant to the purpose of the group.

Good uses include:

  • church updates

  • event reminders

  • practical arrangements

  • encouragements

  • appropriate prayer requests

  • opportunities to serve

  • questions connected to the group’s purpose

Please avoid excessive posting, late-night non-urgent messages, side conversations that exclude others, or content that would be better sent privately.

7. Consent and confidentiality

Before posting, please consider whether the information is yours to share.

Do not share:

  • private pastoral information

  • photos of others without consent

  • information about children or young people without parental/carer permission

  • someone’s prayer request without permission

  • screenshots of group conversations outside the group

What is shared in a group should be treated with care and confidentiality.

8. Admin oversight

Church WhatsApp communities and groups are overseen by appointed admins.

Admins may:

  • remind members of these guidelines

  • close or redirect conversations

  • delete inappropriate content where possible

  • contact members privately about concerns

  • remove members from a group or community where necessary

If the community or group is misused, we reserve the right to remove someone temporarily or permanently.

If you have concerns about the use of a WhatsApp group, or about something posted or sent through it, please flag this with a group admin or email info@www.church.

9. Leaving a group

You are free to leave a WhatsApp group or community at any time.

If you feel uncomfortable, pressured, overwhelmed by messages, or concerned about the use of a group, please speak to a group admin or church leader.