United Methodist Church Global Terms of Service

United Methodist Church Global Terms of Service

UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS TERMS OF USE

Effective Date: Edited August 26, 2024

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY. THEY DESCRIBE THE LEGALLY BINDING TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR YOUR USE OF OUR ONLINE AND DIGITAL PROPERTIES. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS, YOU MAY CHOOSE NOT TO ACCESS OR USE OUR SITES.

PLEASE NOTE THESE TERMS ARE SUBJECT, EXCEPT IN LIMITED CASES, TO BINDING ARBITRATION AND A WAIVER OF CLASS ACTION RIGHTS AS FURTHER DETAILED BELOW.

United Methodist Communications provides leadership for The United Methodist Church in communication, public relations and promotion of the general funds and worldwide programs of the denomination.  These terms describe important information regarding your rights and rules for your use of our website ResourceUMC.org and our other websites, micro-sites, social media platforms, and other online and digital properties, content, products, services, software, and applications (the “Sites”). By browsing, accessing, or using our Sites, you agree to these terms. In the event of any inconsistencies between the English version of these terms and any version of these terms in any other language, the English version will control.

 YOUR AGREEMENT WITH US

You represent that you are at least age 18 and have the power and authority to agree to these terms. These terms create a legally binding agreement between you and us and describe the rules for your use of our Sites. By browsing, accessing, linking, streaming, viewing, using, or downloading information from the Sites, you agree to these terms. If you are using the Sites on behalf of another person, you represent that you are authorized to accept these terms on that person’s behalf. Additional specific terms or agreements may apply to certain sites, products, or services, or specific areas or features of our Sites, such as contests, events, or promotions. If such terms or agreements conflict with these Terms of Use, the specific terms or agreements will prevail. We may change products or services offered on our Sites, including changes to prices, at any time.

MODIFICATION OF OUR TERMS

To accommodate new services and features on our Sites and to ensure up-to-date compliance with applicable laws, we may modify our terms from time to time. When we modify our terms, we will notify you by posting on our Sites. You must discontinue using our Sites if you disagree with the modifications. Any changes will become effective as of the date of posting. We urge you to review these terms often so you are always fully informed.

USE BY CHILDREN

Most of our Sites are not intended to be used by or designed to attract children under the age of 13 and may be used by children between ages 13 and 18 and/or are not legally capable of consenting to this Agreement. User must ask a legal guardian to review and agree to this Agreement, so User can use a United Methodist Communications site or complete the registration and purchase of provided training, products, or services on the User’s behalf. If any of our Sites intend to be used by or are designed to attract children, they will include additional information regarding the applicable policies and practices for that site regarding children. If you are the parent or legal guardian and consent to your minor child’s access to and use of our Sites, you agree to be bound by these terms on behalf of yourself and your child.

ACCOUNTS

You may have the opportunity on our Sites to create a user account to participate in certain features of the site. If you create an account, you are responsible for maintaining your profile and using the settings available to protect the confidentiality of your profile username, password, and all other personal information. You are responsible for all uses of your account, whether or not you have authorized them. You agree to provide, maintain, and update true, accurate, current, and complete information about yourself in the registration process. You may not impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or entity, including using another person’s username, password, or other account information or another person’s name, likeness, voice, image, or photograph. You agree to promptly notify us of unauthorized use of your username, password, other account information, or any other breach of security that you suspect or become aware of involving or relating to the Sites. You also agree to exit your user account at the end of each session. Some of our Sites may offer you the opportunity to register or log in using social media or other third-party services. We do not control such services and are not responsible for them. We fully disclaim all liability associated with them.

YOUR CONTENT

You may have the opportunity to post or upload or have someone else post or upload, on your behalf, content to our Sites, the content we will call “Your Content” in these terms. Your Content may include, for example, text, music, photos, videos, sounds, lyrics, messages, illustrations, files, images, graphics, comments, information, and other materials. You represent that Your Content is true and accurate and does not infringe the rights of any other person or entity or violate any laws and that you own or control all rights to the content necessary to post or upload it. To the extent the law allows, we reserve the right to reveal your identity or any other information we know about you if a complaint or legal action arises from Your Content. By posting or uploading Your Content to our Sites, you are granting us an irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use Your Content in connection with the Sites. If you become aware that your posted or uploaded Content includes any material for which you lack the unrestricted right to grant us the rights set forth above, you agree to promptly notify us. You have no right to maintain or access Your Content on our Sites, and we have no obligation to return Your Content or otherwise make it available to you except as described in our Privacy Policy. We are not responsible for the timeliness, deletion, misdelivery, or failure to store any of Your Content or personalization settings. We may freely use any feedback, suggestions, or ideas you provide to us, and you grant us a perpetual, worldwide, transferable, sublicensable, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use such feedback in any way.

POSTING AGENTS

A posting agent is a third-party agent, service, or intermediary that offers to post content on behalf of others. To moderate demands on our resources, you may not use a posting agent to post content on our Sites without our written consent. Posting agents may not post content on behalf of others or access our Sites to facilitate posting content on behalf of others without our written consent.

 PAID POSTINGS

We may charge a fee for you to post content in some areas of our Sites. The fee is an access fee permitting content to be posted in a designated area. You are responsible for the content you post and compliance with these terms. All fees paid are non-refundable in the event content is removed from our Sites for violation of the terms.

 THIRD-PARTY CONTENT

Our Sites may include content posted or uploaded by not only you but also other users of our Sites, content we will call “User Content” in these terms. Unless our Sites make clear otherwise, we do not claim ownership of User Content, and it does not necessarily express our views. Because it is not content, we have posted or uploaded, we are not responsible for User Content and cannot verify its accuracy, timeliness, completeness, or usefulness. We have the right, but not the obligation, to monitor, edit, or delete User Content. Your use or reliance on User Content is at your own risk, and we are not responsible for it. We do not collect your information, including your mobile phone number, and provide it to a third party for processing. Your information will not be sold or shared with third parties for promotional or marketing purposes.

PUBLIC FORUMS AND INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

Some of our Sites offer public forums and other interactive communications. Please be aware that these features are public or may be subject to public access. Please use respect when you interact with others through our Sites. You are responsible for the content you post, the consequences of posting the content, and your interactions with third parties through our Sites. Such dealings are solely between you and such third parties. We urge you to be cautious about these interactions. Your use or reliance on such content is at your own risk, and we are not responsible for it. We reserve the right to remove without notice any posting or communication for any reason, but we have no obligation to delete content that you may find objectionable or offensive. Information and opinions expressed in public forums or other interactive communications by others are not necessarily ours.

USER-POSTED EVENTS

Our Sites may allow users to post events, meet-up opportunities, and other local happenings taking place outside of the Sites. We do not supervise or control these events and are not involved in any way in the transportation to or actions or events that take place during any such event. Likewise, we are not responsible for any transactions, ticketing, payments, or fees required or requested in connection with such events. We do not warrant or represent that the listings of events posted on the Sites by users are accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free. We encourage you to exercise caution in attending any such event. You attend such events at your own risk, and we are not responsible for any loss, injury, or damage incurred as a result of your attendance at any such event. 

RULES OF CONDUCT

You must comply with all applicable laws in using our Sites, and it is your responsibility to know and understand the law. You may not upload, post, embed, link to, email, transmit, or otherwise make available through our Sites any material or content that:

• IS UNLAWFUL OR OBJECTIONABLE: Is unlawful, false, threatening, harmful, intimidating, abusive, defamatory, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, vulgar, obscene, profane, pornographic, sexually explicit, lewd, filthy, excessively violent, hateful, harassing or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable within our sole discretion;
• ENCOURAGES UNLAWFUL CONDUCT: Encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation;
• INFRINGES OTHERS’ RIGHTS: Violates or infringes the rights of others, including any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, publicity, privacy, moral right, or other intellectual property, personal, contractual, or proprietary right;

VIOLATES LAWS RELATED TO MINORS: Violates laws or regulations designed to protect minors;

• IMPERSONATES OTHERS: Impersonates another person or entity, including the site webmaster, forum leader, guide or host, or any other person, or falsely states or otherwise misrepresents your affiliation with another person or entity;
• SOLICITS: Is an advertisement, product or service offering, promotional material, chain letter, junk mail, pyramid scheme, or “spam” or other form of solicitation of any kind, such as links intended to divert traffic to drive unrelated off-site sales;
• DISCLOSES OTHERS’ PERSONAL INFORMATION: Includes personal information of others without consent, such as phone numbers, social security numbers, account numbers, addresses, or employer references;
• DISCLOSES MINORS’ PERSONAL INFORMATION: Discloses any personal information of a child under age 18 or images or video of a child under age 18 without consent of a parent or guardian;
• IS HARMFUL: Contains a formula, instruction, or advice that could cause harm or injury;
• ALLOWS FOR UNLAWFUL COPYING: Is or can be used to copy, change, prepare derivative works of, edit, rewrite, save, or alter in any way any content available or displayed on the Sites;
• OBLIGATES US: Would result in our having any obligation or liability to another or
• YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DISCLOSE: You do not have a right to make available under any law or contractual or fiduciary relationship, such as inside information or proprietary and confidential information learned or disclosed as part of an employment relationship or under a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement.

You may not:

• BREAK THE LAW: Intentionally or unintentionally violate any applicable local, state, national or international law, rule, or regulation;
• SPREAD VIRUSES OR THE LIKE: Intentionally upload, post, link to, email, transmit, or otherwise make available any material that contains software viruses or any other computer code, files, or programs designed to interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any software, computer, tablet, phone, or other mobile device, or hardware on telecommunications equipment;
• WRONGFULLY COLLECT PERSONAL DATA: Collect personal data about other users for commercial or unlawful purposes;
• USE AUTOMATION TO DOWNLOAD DATA: Use automated means, including spiders, robots, crawlers, data mining tools, or the like, to download data from our Sites without our express consent;
• DISRUPT THE FLOW: Disrupt the normal flow of dialogue, cause a screen to scroll faster than other users of our Sites are able to type, or otherwise act in a manner that negatively affects other users’ ability to engage in real-time exchanges;
• INTERFERE WITH OUR SYSTEMS: Interfere with or disrupt our Sites or servers or networks connected to our Sites, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies, or regulations of networks connected to our Sites; or
• DISGUISE CONTENT ORIGIN: Forge headers or otherwise manipulate identifiers to disguise the origin of any content transmitted through our Sites.

OWNERSHIP OF OUR SITES AND CONTENT | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Unless otherwise noted, all content included or available on our Sites and the underlying software and technology is subject to intellectual property rights, including copyrights, trademarks, patents, international treaties, and other proprietary rights held or licensed by us or our respective licensors, and we reserve all rights in such property.  This includes, for example, site design, text, photos, video, audio, music, graphics, the “look and feel,” trade dress, trademarks, and service marks.  We prohibit any use of the content on our Sites and the underlying software and technology, including reproduction for purposes other than those expressly allowed in this Policy, modification, distribution, any form of data extraction or data mining, or other commercial exploitation or public purpose of any kind, without our prior written permission or, in the case of third-party property, permission from its respective owner.  Except for the limited use rights granted to you below, you will not acquire any right, title, or interest in our Sites or any portions of them. User agrees that the failure to abide by this provision would cause irreparable harm that is impossible to quantify.

TRADEMARKS

The marks The United Methodist Church™, United Methodist Communications® and the logos incorporating them, and many of the other names, marks, and logos on the Sites are trademarks and service marks of The United Methodist Church, United Methodist Communications, or our licensors.  You may not use these marks without permission of the owner.  All goodwill generated from the use of our marks will inure to our exclusive benefit.  Our Sites may use third-party trademarks and logos to identify third parties and resources.  Our use of these marks does not imply affiliation with or endorsement of the third party.  These marks are the property of their respective owners.

LIMITED USE RIGHTS

Subject to these terms, we grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited right to access, use and view our Sites and their content solely for your own personal use, provided that you may not, nor may you allow others to, directly or indirectly sell, license, rent, reproduce, modify or attempt to modify, or create derivative works from the site content in any way or reproduce or publicly display, perform, transmit or distribute or otherwise use the site content for any public or commercial purpose.  This includes, for example, the use of the site content on any other website or in any environment of networked computers or the transfer of the site content to any other person without our prior written explicit consent.  All intellectual property rights are expressly reserved.  You may not systematically retrieve data or other site content from our Sites to create or compile, directly or indirectly, a collection, compilation, database, or directory without our prior written consent.   

LINKING AND FRAMING

We do not allow “framing” of our Sites or linking to our Sites in a way that displays the pages in a frame of the linking site’s template or that otherwise incorporates our content into your site; the linked site should open in a new web browser window.   You may use text links to link to the content on our Sites under the following guidelines:

• You must provide factually correct information and uphold high ethical and moral standards in developing and presenting information.
• You may not suggest endorsement by or affiliation with us or endorsement of one product or service over another.
• You may not present false information about us or our products or services.
• You may not use our logos, trademarks, or service marks.
• You may not use any content from our Sites without our prior written permission.
• We will have no responsibility for any content on your site, and you agree to indemnify us against all claims arising out of or based on your site.
• We may withdraw permission for any link at any time.

HOW TO REPORT A COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK, OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CLAIM

If you have a claim that your copyrighted work, trademark, or other intellectual property has been infringed or your rights to your intellectual property violated, you may notify our agent using the contact information below:

United Methodist Communications
Attn: Privacy
810 12th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
dataprivacy@umc.org

You must provide us with the following information in order for us to process your claim:

• A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed;
• Identification of the work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple works on the Sites are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at the Sites;
• Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material;
• Information reasonably sufficient to permit us to contact you, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an email address;
• The following statement by you: “I have a good-faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law”; and
• The following statement by you: “The information in this notification is accurate, and I, as the complaining party, declare under penalty of perjury that I am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.”

Inquiries that do not follow this procedure may not receive a response.  Upon receiving a claim of infringement, we may, at our discretion, remove or disable the material claimed to be infringed.  Please note that we are only able to accept notices in the languages into which these terms are made available by us.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT IF YOU MATERIALLY MISREPRESENT THAT MATERIAL IS INFRINGING YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, YOU MAY BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES (INCLUDING COSTS AND ATTORNEYS’ FEES).  IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHETHER THE MATERIAL INFRINGES ON YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER CONTACTING AN ATTORNEY BEFORE CONTACTING US.

HOW TO RESPOND TO A CLAIMED INFRINGEMENT

If we remove or disable the material claimed to be infringing, we will take reasonable steps to notify the owner of the material of the claim, and the owner will then have the option to send us a counter-notice about why the content does not infringe another’s intellectual property rights and requesting reinstatement of the content.  The counter-notice must be in writing and include the following information:

• The owner’s physical or electronic signature;

• Identification of the material that has been removed or to which access has been disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or access to it was disabled;

• The following statement by the owner: “I declare, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good-faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled”; and

• The owner’s name, address, and telephone number, and the following statement by the owner: “I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which my address listed in this notice is located, or if my address is outside of the United States, for any judicial district in which United Methodist Communications may be found, and I will accept service of process from the person who provided notification of infringement or an agent of such person.”

If we receive a counter-notice under these provisions, we may send a copy of the counter-notice to the original complaining party informing that person that we may replace the removed material or cease disabling it in 10 business days.  Unless the original complaining party files an action seeking a court order against the individual or entity who placed the content, the removed material may be replaced, or access to it restored in 10 to 14 business days after receipt of the counter-notice, at our discretion. 

REPEAT INFRINGER POLICY

We will, in appropriate circumstances, terminate your access to our Sites if you repeatedly violate this policy or infringe the intellectual property rights of others on our Sites.  We may also limit your access to our Sites or terminate your account if you infringe any intellectual property rights of others, whether or not repeatedly.

EXTERNAL LINKS AND FEATURES

Our Sites may include links to other websites or allow you to use certain features and plug-ins that integrate external social media sites and other third-party features and tools. These terms do not apply to any external linked sites, and we have no control over and cannot be responsible for the practices or the contents of such external sites or their availability. We do not endorse and are not responsible for any content, advertising, products, or other materials on or available from external sources or your reliance on them. Your use of these external sites and features is at your own risk, and it is your responsibility to protect yourself from viruses and other destructive elements. We encourage you to consult the terms of such sites. If you have a dispute with any other user of our Sites or any third party, you agree that the dispute is between you and the third party, and we are under no obligation to become involved, and you release us and our parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, members, officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives, and service providers from claims, demands, and damages of every kind or nature arising out of, relating to, or in any way connected with such dispute.

 USE OF THIRD-PARTY TRADEMARKS

Our Sites may use third-party trademarks and logos to identify third parties and resources. Our use of these marks does not imply affiliation with or endorsement of the third party. These marks are the property of their respective owners.

 OUR RIGHT TO TERMINATE, LIMIT AND DENY ACCESS

We may, for any or no reason and at our discretion, modify, disable, or discontinue the operation of our Sites or your access to our Sites without notice and without liability to you or any other party. Reasons for termination may include the provision of false or misleading registration information, interference with other users or the administration of our services, or violation of these terms or any of our other policies or agreements. Upon denial of access, you agree not to attempt to access our Sites. Termination will not limit any of our other rights or remedies. We also may limit your use of the Sites, including, for example, limits on the amount of content you upload or the number of posts you make and your frequency of access.

PRIVACY POLICY AND SECURITY

We respect your privacy and will handle your personal information pursuant to our Privacy Policy. By using our Sites, you consent to the collection and use of personal information submitted by you in accordance with our Privacy Policy. You acknowledge that the transmission of information by the Internet is never completely secure. Except as otherwise stated in our Privacy Policy, we do not guarantee the security of any information transmitted to or from our Sites, including to or from any external sites linked to our Sites, and submission of any information to our Sites or to any external sites linked to our Sites is your risk and responsibility.

United Methodist Communications is committed to protecting the privacy and security of User’s personal data. The Privacy Policy describes how users’ information will be collected, used, disclosed, and stored. Such a Privacy Policy is incorporated into this Agreement by reference. By agreeing to this Agreement, you agree to the applicable Privacy Policy for training, product, or service purchased.

THIRD-PARTY SUPPLIERS

Our Sites may use software or services provided by third parties. We provide those products and services to you with permission of the suppliers on their terms, and subject to our own terms set forth here. Without limiting these terms, we expressly disclaim any warranty or other assurance to you regarding these third-party products and services.

SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS

We will do our best to provide uninterrupted service to our Sites, but we do not guarantee continuous and uninterrupted access to our Sites, and the operation of our Sites may be affected by circumstances outside of our control. You are responsible for providing or obtaining Internet access and any hardware or software necessary to connect to the Internet or use our Sites.

Spam Filters & Email Notices

United Methodist Communications cannot be responsible for Your spam filters blocking Your confirmation email. It is the responsibility of the User that the email account associated with your registration will allow mail from resourceumc.org, umc.org, and umnews.org.

MOBILE ACCESS

Your access to or use of our Sites through a mobile device will require wireless service and may require software. Certain of our Sites and services may offer text-messaging capability. You are responsible for these requirements, all applicable charges and fees incurred from them, and the terms of your agreements with your mobile service and telecommunications providers. Not all of our Sites may work with or be permitted by your device or network provider. We are not responsible for the unavailability or delays in wireless, text-messaging, or telecommunications services or any loss, damage, security breach, or disclosure of your information to third parties from the use of such services. No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All other categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

NOT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

The content on our Sites is provided for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as advice. The content is not intended to, and does not, constitute spiritual, legal, medical, financial, or professional advice and may not be used for such purposes.

RECIPES

Our Sites may include recipes. The recipes are provided for informational purposes only and we are not responsible for and cannot guarantee the results of any recipe prepared from our Sites. Results from the recipes may vary. It is your responsibility to review the recipe and determine the appropriateness and value of the ingredients and the instructions based on individual conditions, such as allergies, cooking abilities, geographical location, and cooking temperature. We are not responsible for any medical condition, disease, food poisoning, accident, or fire that could result from the preparation of the recipes or consumption of the ingredients listed in any recipe.

 DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT USE OF OUR SITES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK, ANY MATERIAL OR DATA DOWNLOADED OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED THROUGH THE USE OF OUR SITES IS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK AND YOU WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR LOSS OF DATA THAT RESULTS FROM THE DOWNLOAD OF SUCH MATERIAL OR DATA. OUR SITES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, WE MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF OUR SITES IN TERMS OF CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INTERRUPTIONS, ERRORS, COMPUTER VIRUSES, OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS IN THE USE OF OUR SITES. WE DISCLAIM ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO OUR SITES AND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, TITLE, FREEDOM FROM DEFECTS, UNINTERRUPTED USE, AND ALL WARRANTIES IMPLIED FROM ANY COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. THIS INCLUDES LOSS OF DATA OR PROFIT ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE CONTENT OF OUR SITES. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT ANY CONTENT OR INFORMATION ACCESSED THROUGH OUR SITES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE, DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR OUR SITES OR THE SERVERS THAT MAKE OUR SITES AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY 

IN NO EVENT WILL WE OR ANY OF OUR PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, MEMBERS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, CONSULTANTS, AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, OR SERVICE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF REVENUE, OR LOSS OF USE, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY USE OF OUR SITES OR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON OUR SITES, THE INABILITY TO USE OUR SITES, THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE OUR SERVICES, OR ANY GOODS OR SERVICES PURCHASED OR OBTAINED OR MESSAGES RECEIVED OR TRANSACTIONS ENTERED INTO THROUGH OUR SITES, OR LOSS OF, UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF A USER’S TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA OR FOR THE COST OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS AND SERVICES, WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES ARISE IN CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, UNDER STATUTE, IN EQUITY, AT LAW, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF WE OR OUR REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT WILL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES, LOSSES, OR CAUSES OF ACTION EXCEED THE GREATER OF THE TOTAL FEES PAID BY YOU FOR THE SERVICES GIVING RISE TO THE CAUSE OF ACTION OR ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00). SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW FOR THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. IN THOSE JURISDICTIONS, OUR LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

WAIVER OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE SECTION 1542 AND SIMILAR LAWS 

BY USING OUR SITES, YOU WAIVE ANY RIGHTS YOU MAY HAVE WITH RESPECT TO CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE SECTION 1542, WHICH SAYS “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH, IF KNOWN BY HIM MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR,” AND ANY SIMILAR LAW OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.

INDEMNITY

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold us and our parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, members, officers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, representatives, and service providers harmless from any claim, demand, liability, loss, damages, or cause of action, including attorneys’ fees and costs arising out of or relating to (i) Your participation in any training, services, or products provided by United Methodist Communication, including any data or content transmitted or received by you, (ii) Your violation of any terms of this agreement, (iii) Your violation of any third party, including intellectual property rights of third parties, (iv) Your violation of any applicable law, rule or regulation, (v) any false, misleading, or inaccurate information submission by you or your account, or (vi) negligent or willful misconduct. In addition, due to or arising out of the breach of your obligations or representations in these terms, your use of the Sites, or infringement by you or another user of the Sites using your computer of any intellectual property or any other right of any person or entity. You agree to cooperate as fully as reasonably required in the defense of any claim. We have the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, and you will not, in any event, settle any such matter without our written consent.

GOVERNING LAW

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee, United States of America, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws of such state, and are binding on you in the United States and worldwide. Except as otherwise stated in these terms, we make no representation that our Sites are appropriate, legal or available for use in other locations. Accordingly, if you choose to use our Sites, you agree to do so subject to the internal laws of the State of Tennessee. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply to the interpretation or construction of these terms. Except for disputes subject to arbitration as stated below, the state and federal courts of Davidson County, Tennessee, shall be the exclusive forum and venue to resolve disputes arising out of or relating to these terms or the use of or visit to our Sites. By using our Sites, and thereby agreeing to these terms, you consent to personal jurisdiction and venue in the state and federal courts in Davidson County, Tennessee, with respect to all such disputes. You acknowledge that your breach or potential breach of any of these terms or infringement or potential infringement of our intellectual property rights may cause us irreparable harm for which recovery of money damages would be inadequate. You agree that we will be entitled, in addition to any other remedies available to us, to seek any relief, equitable or otherwise, to prevent or restrain such breach or potential breach.

ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, AND EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO SEEKING EQUITABLE REMEDIES, ALL CLAIMS AND DISPUTES ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS, INCLUDING THE QUESTION OF ARBITRABILITY, THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED IN SMALL-CLAIMS COURT MUST BE SUBMITTED TO BINDING ARBITRATION, AND YOU AND WE WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO BRING SUCH CLAIMS BEFORE A COURT OF LAW. You and we must give the other at least 60 days’ notice before initiating arbitration. The dispute will be submitted for binding arbitration to a single arbitrator competent in any issues involved in the dispute. The arbitration will be conducted in accordance with the American Arbitration Association’s International Rules or Complex Commercial Dispute Rules in effect at the time of arbitration, except as they may be modified in these terms or by yours and our mutual consent. Unless otherwise mutually agreed, the seat of the arbitration will be in Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America, and the arbitration will be conducted in the English language. You acknowledge and agree that you will not raise in connection with, and you waive, any defenses based on venue, inconvenience of forum or lack of personal jurisdiction in any action or suit brought in accordance with these terms. You agree to exclude the application of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The arbitral award must be confidential, in writing, state the reasons for the award, and be final and binding on the parties. The award may include an award of costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements. You agree the arbitrators have the authority to award any form of individual relief, including, without limitation, temporary and permanent equitable relief, including injunctions, and other relief available under applicable law. Any court having jurisdiction thereof or having jurisdiction over the relevant party or its assets may enter judgment upon the award. You and we will stipulate that these terms and the obligations and relationships resulting from them are commercial and that the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards applies to these terms and to any arbitral award or order resulting from any arbitration conducted under these terms. YOU AND WE AGREE THAT WE MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST EACH OTHER ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION OR PROCEEDING. This section will be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. BY AGREEING TO THESE TERMS, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THE LAW REQUIRES OTHERWISE, YOU AGREE THAT ANY CLAIMS OR ACTIONS THAT YOU MAY OTHERWISE HAVE AGAINST US UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES ARE WAIVED, INCLUDING ANY CLAIMS OR ACTIONS UNDER THE LAWS OF YOUR OWN COUNTRY, AND THAT YOUR SOLE LOCATION AND APPLICABLE LAW FOR ANY DISPUTE IS IN THE UNITED STATES. DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PROVISIONS ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO UK OR EU-BASED CONSUMERS, WHO MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE A CLAIM IN THE COURTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY RESIDE OR THROUGH THE EUROPEAN ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PLATFORM HTTP://EC.EUROPA.EU/CONSUMERS/ODR/.

INTERNATIONAL USE AND EXPORT CONTROLS 

Our Sites are operated from the United States of America. We do not represent that our Sites are appropriate or available for use in all jurisdictions, and not all of our products or services discussed on our Sites are available in all jurisdictions or appropriate or available for use outside the United States. We prohibit accessing content from within jurisdictions where such content is illegal. If you choose to access our Sites from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are solely responsible for complying with applicable local laws, including applicable laws regarding the transmission of data exported from the United States or the country in which you reside. Certain software and services offered on or through our Sites may be subject to United States export controls and economic sanctions laws. In particular, but without limitation, software and software services through our Sites may not be exported to any U.S.-embargoed countries or anyone on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Department of Commerce Denied Person’s List or Entity List.

APPLE-ENABLED SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

We may offer applications that are intended to be operated in connection with products made commercially available by Apple Inc. (“Apple”). The following terms and conditions apply to those applications: This agreement is between you and us only, and not with Apple, and as between Apple and us, we, and not Apple, are solely responsible for the applications and their content. You may not use the applications in any manner that is in violation of or inconsistent with the Usage Rules set forth for such applications in, or otherwise in conflict with, the App Store Terms of Service. Your license to use the applications is limited to a non-transferable license to use the applications on an iOS product that you own or control, as permitted by the Usage Rules set forth in the App Store Terms of Service. Apple has no obligation to provide any maintenance or support services with respect to the applications.

Apple is not responsible for any product warranties, whether express or implied by law. In the event of any failure of the applications to conform to any applicable warranty, you may notify Apple, and Apple will refund the purchase price for the applications, if any; and, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Apple will have no other warranty obligation with respect to the applications, or any other claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs or expenses attributable to any failure to conform to any warranty, which will be our sole responsibility, to the extent it cannot be disclaimed under applicable law. You and we acknowledge that we, not Apple, are responsible for addressing any claims of you or any third party relating to the applications or your possession or use of the applications, including (i) product liability claims; (ii) any claim that the applications fail to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement; and (iii) claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation. In the event of any third-party claim that the applications or the end-users’ possession and use of the applications infringe that third party’s intellectual property rights, as between Apple and us, we, not Apple, will be solely responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement, and discharge of any such intellectual property infringement claim. You represent and warrant that (a) you are not located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or that has been designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country; and (b) you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties. You should direct your questions, complaints or claims with respect to the applications to us. You and we acknowledge and agree that Apple, and Apple’s subsidiaries, are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms of Use with respect to the applications, and that, upon your acceptance of the terms and conditions of these Terms of Use, Apple will have the right (and will be deemed to have accepted the right) to enforce these Terms of Use against you with respect to the applications as a third-party beneficiary.

OTHER TERMS

These terms will inure to the benefit of our successors, assigns and licensees. If any provisions of these terms are unlawful, void, or unenforceable for any reason, the other provisions will not be affected and will remain valid and enforceable to the maximum possible extent. These terms will apply in addition to, and will not be superseded by, any other written agreement between you and us in relation to any of our Sites, products, or services. Nothing in these terms will be deemed to constitute you or us as the agent or representative of the other or as partners or joint ventures. If you or we are prevented from performing or are unable to perform any obligation under these terms due to any cause beyond the reasonable control of the party invoking this provision, the affected party’s performance will be extended for the period of delay or inability to perform due to such occurrence, but in no event later than 60 days. Our failure to insist on or enforce strict performance of any provision of these terms will not be construed as a waiver of any provision or right. Our Privacy Policy, Cookies Policy, and Copyright/Intellectual Property Policy are binding parts of our terms, and together with these terms and any other specific terms or agreements in connection with a particular site constitute the entire agreement between you and us with respect to your use of our Sites. Any cause of action you may have with respect to your use of our Sites, or that is the subject of these terms must be commenced within one (1) year after the claim or cause of action arises. Any provisions of these terms that by their nature should survive termination of these terms will survive.

HOW TO CONTACT US

If you have any questions regarding these terms, or to report violations of these terms, please contact us at:

United Methodist Communications
Attn: Privacy
810 12th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
dataprivacy@umc.org

TERMS OF SALE AND DONATION

These Terms of Sale and Donation are part of our Terms of Use.  Here we describe the terms and conditions governing the financial transactions on and through our Sites, including orders and purchases of products and services, subscriptions, registrations for events, and monetary donations and gifts.  We will call all of these “Transactions” for easy reference.  Additional specific terms or agreements may apply to certain sites, products or services, or specific areas or features of our Sites, such as contests, events, or promotions, including separate purchase agreements. If such terms or agreements conflict with these Terms of Use, the specific terms or agreements will prevail.

LEGAL AGE

You must be at least age 18 and have the legal capacity to enter into Transactions in order to do so.

PRODUCTS OFFERED

Unless expressly stated otherwise on our Sites, the products we sell are new and compliant with applicable legal standards.  Any products sold at discount prices or as substandard will be identified as such on our Sites, and we do not guarantee that they will be in perfect condition or of satisfactory quality for their intended use. We may revise and discontinue products at any time.  We will ship products that have the functionality and performance of the products you ordered, but changes between what is shipped and what is described are possible.  Product availability is subject to change without notice.  We reserve the right to limit quantities.  We attempt to be accurate in our descriptions of products.  We do not warrant, however, that descriptions of products or other content on our Sites are accurate, complete, reliable, current, or free from errors or omissions.  Textures, finishes, colors, patterns, sizes, and other visual features of products might display differently on your computer or device monitor than the items that appear in hand.  Images are shown for representational purposes only.  If a product offered by us is not as described, your sole remedy is to return it in unused condition. 

PRICE

Pricing is subject to change without notice.  We reserve the right to limit quantities.  Prices displayed on our Sites are subject to our final approval at the time of order fulfillment.  Any price quotations given by us will be valid for the period stated on the quotation.  Your total price or cost incurred for any Transaction will be stated on your purchase receipt.  Prices are based on U.S. currency unless otherwise specified.  You agree to pay all fees, shipping charges, and taxes, if applicable.  Orders are not binding on us until accepted by us, and we reserve the right to decline the acceptance of any order, including, without limitation, in the event the price of the product is a mistake.     

PAYMENT TERMS

We remain the owner of the products and services until your payment in full.  Terms of payment are within our sole discretion, and unless we agree otherwise in writing, payment must be received by us prior to our acceptance of an order.  Payments must be made by credit card, debit card, or other prearranged payment method of the types approved on the particular site.  All payments by credit card, debit card, or other payment method must be authorized by the relevant card issuer or source.  If your bank refuses to permit your purchase, we may attempt to contact you to arrange for an alternative payment.  In certain cases, you may lose the opportunity to purchase certain products if, for example, there is limited availability.  If your payment method is ultimately declined, the order will be canceled, and the contract of sale will be terminated.  We are not liable for the unauthorized or fraudulent use of your credit card, debit card, or similar payment source. All the information the User provides in connection with a purchase or transaction must be accurate, complete, and current. All applicable taxes related to any such purchases or transactions from United Methodist Communications are the responsibility of the User.

TAXES

Prices advertised do not include taxes, fees, duties, levies, or shipping and handling, which will be added to the price you pay.  Any taxes related to your Transactions are your responsibility (excluding taxes based on our net income) unless you provide us with a valid and correct tax exemption certificate.  If an exemption certificate you provide to us is held invalid, you will pay us the amount of the tax and any related penalties and interest.  For purchases where sales tax is applicable, if possible, you will see the tax calculated on the checkout page before you are asked to confirm the purchase.  We use reasonable commercial efforts to calculate and remit the correct amount of tax required on each taxable purchase, but we do not guarantee the accuracy of the amount of the tax it represents to you as the tax owed.  In consideration of our allowing, you to use and access our Sites and collecting and remitting taxes required on your purchases, you waive your right to claim that the tax collected on any purchase is incorrect in any respect, and you agree to hold us and our officers, directors, affiliates, parents, subsidiaries, employees, agents and representatives harmless for any harm or other damages you may incur as a result of any error by us in calculating the taxes you owe for your purchases. You are responsible for all taxes, duties, levies, and fees, including any sales, use, or withholding taxes imposed on or in connection with the use of our Sites by any taxing authority worldwide.

 SHIPPING AND TITLE

Unless otherwise specified, we will arrange shipping of any product ordered to your address.  The title to the product passes to you on delivery to the carrier, and the risk of loss passes to you on delivery to your address.  The costs of shipping and handling will be shown on your purchase receipt.  We will inform you of estimated shipment dates.  If, for any reason, a product cannot be shipped within a reasonable time, we will notify you of the delayed shipment.  If you do not consent to the delayed shipment, we will promptly refund all money paid by you for the unshipped merchandise. 

INSPECTION OF PRODUCTS ON RECEIPT

You must examine the products when you receive them.  If any item is damaged or missing, you must notify us immediately.  We will not consider any claim for damaged or missing items more than thirty (30) days from the date of delivery.

DONATIONS
We retain complete control over the use and distribution of donations in furtherance of our mission.  All donations are final and non-refundable.  A service fee may or may not be applicable to your donation.  Any such fee will be shown on your purchase receipt and/or confirmation invoice.  All donations are tax-deductible.  We are not an accounting, taxation, or financial advisor, and you should not rely on information on our Sites to determine the accounting, tax, or financial consequences of making a donation.  Please consult your accounting, taxation, or financial advisor for specific questions about your donation.

DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

We may sell digital content for download, such as for example, music files or podcasts.  Unless otherwise specified, the digital content is made available for download in an industry-standard format.  You are responsible for having a sufficient Internet connection and system to support your download purchases.  In the event the download service is inaccessible upon purchase for reasons within our control we will notify you.  We are not responsible for disruptions to downloads due to events outside our control.  We are not responsible for the storage of or damage to the downloaded file once downloaded.

EVENTS

No refunds or exchanges are available for event registration fees.  Event date and time, location, sponsor, and beneficiaries are subject to change.  Event registration is valid only for the event for which a confirmation invoice is issued.  If you do not receive a confirmation invoice (in the form of a confirmation page or email) after submitting payment information, or if you experience an error message or service interruption after submitting payment information, it is your responsibility to confirm with us whether your registration has been processed.  We will not be responsible for losses (monetary or otherwise) if you assume that an order was not placed because you failed to receive confirmation.  

YOUR INFORMATION

When you commence a Transaction through our Sites, you will be asked to supply certain information applicable to the Transaction, including, without limitation, credit card and other information. We will treat such information in the manner described in our Privacy Policy.  You agree that all information you provide in connection with the Transaction will be accurate, current, and complete.  Transactions involving the sale or purchase of registration for events or the making of donations may be regulated by certain local laws or regulations.  You acknowledge that complying with all laws, including federal and state tax laws, is your responsibility, and YOU AGREE NOT TO HOLD US OR OUR AFFILIATED ENTITIES, AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, OWNERS, OR EMPLOYEES LIABLE FOR YOUR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY LAW OR ANY FAILURE BY US TO NOTIFY YOU OF, OR PROPERLY APPLY, ANY LAW.  WE MAY PROVIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH ALL INFORMATION YOU SUBMIT TO US TO ASSIST IN ANY INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION IT MAY CONDUCT.  You grant us the right to provide any information you submit to third parties for purposes of facilitating the completion of purchases initiated by you or on your behalf.  Verification of information may be required prior to the acknowledgment or completion of any purchases or transactions.

RETURN POLICIES AND EXCHANGES

If you purchased a product directly from us, with the exception of event registrations, you may return it to us up to thirty (30) days from the date of the invoice for a complete refund of the purchase price.  As specified above, no refunds or exchanges are available for event registration fees.  You must contact customer service for the applicable site to obtain a Return Authorization Number.  You must ship the product to us in its original packaging, prepay shipping charges, and ensure the shipment or accept the risk of loss or damage during shipment.  Returned products must be in “as-new” condition, and all of the manuals, power cables, and other items, if originally included with a product, must be returned with the product.  We may refuse any returned product shipped C.O.D., or without a Return Authorization Number visible on the exterior of the carton.  From time to time, we may, in our sole discretion, agree to exchange products or portions of a product.  Any exchanges will be made in accordance with our exchange policies in effect on the date of the exchange. 

NOT FOR RESALE

You agree and represent that, in the event you purchase a product, you are doing so for your own internal use only, and not for resale. 

NO LICENSE

Except as provided below, the Transactions will not confer on you any express or implied license under any of our or our licensors’ proprietary rights, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, or otherwise, and we reserve all such rights on our behalf and on behalf of our licensors.  If a Transaction includes the provision of software, you agree that the software may only be used in accordance with the terms and conditions of the software license agreement that accompanies the software.

NO WAIVER

United Methodist Communications’ waiver of any term of this Agreement shall not be considered a continuing waiver of such term or any other term, and United Methodist Communication’s failure to assert any right or provision under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

NO ASSIGNMENT

You will not assign any Transaction or quoted Transaction without our prior written consent.

COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS

You will comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including the import, export, and re-export laws and regulations in effect as of the date of shipment of the products of any country involved in the Transactions.  The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply to the interpretation or construction of these Terms. 

CAUSES BEYOND OUR CONTROL (FORCE MAJEURE)

We will not be liable to you for any delay or failure in the shipment or delivery of our products or services due to any cause beyond our reasonable control, including, without limitation, war, terrorism, breakdown of plant or machinery, fire, flood, strikes or other labor disturbance, accidents, Act of God, governmental order or requirement, interruption, obsolescence or shortage of materials, transportation facilities or energy supply, or events beyond the reasonable control of our suppliers or subcontractors. Our performance is deemed to be suspended for the period that the Force Majeure Event continues, and we will have an extension of time for performance for the duration of that period. We will use our reasonable endeavors to bring the Force Majeure Event to a close or to find a solution by which our obligations may be performed despite the Force Majeure Event.

Entire Agreement

This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between parties concerning the use of our Sites, provided training, products, or services. If any provision of this Agreement is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended except by a written amendment signed by both parties.