SMS Program & Policy — My Church Secretary

About This Document

This SMS Policy contains the language and templates required to operate the SMS (text message) feature of the My Church Secretary Service in compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the CTIA Messaging Principles & Best Practices, and the rules of the United States wireless carriers and The Campaign Registry (TCR). It has three parts:

Part A — SMS provider submission text. The exact strings of text that MCS submits to its SMS provider during A2P 10DLC campaign registration. These are not seen directly by church members, but they define what the messaging system replies with when a member texts HELP or STOP.
Part B — For churches to use. Plug-and-play language that subscribing churches can copy onto their online sign-up forms, paper sign-up sheets, and member-facing notices (bulletin, website, narthex).
Part C — Operational guidance. Recordkeeping, handling phone-number changes, and responding to member complaints.

Scope: This document provides templates and operational guidance. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Each subscribing Church remains responsible for its own TCPA, CTIA, and carrier compliance, including the accuracy of opt-in records and the timely handling of opt-outs. Churches with questions specific to their jurisdiction or circumstances should consult their own counsel.

Part A — SMS Provider Submission Text

The four strings below are submitted to MCS’s SMS provider as part of A2P 10DLC campaign registration. Submit the wording as written; do not paraphrase. Replace [Church Name] with a short, recognizable name of the subscribing Church (for example, “Trinity Lutheran” rather than the full legal name).

A.1 — Welcome / Confirmation Message

Sent as the first message after a new opt-in. Confirms enrollment and sets expectations. Keep under 160 characters so it fits in a single SMS segment.

[Church Name]: You're subscribed to text messages from [Church Name]. Msg freq varies. Reply HELP for help, STOP to cancel. Msg&data rates may apply.

A.2 — HELP Keyword Response

Sent automatically when a member texts HELP to the Church's number. Must identify the program and provide a way to reach a human.

[Church Name]: For help, contact us at [Church Phone] or [Church Email]. Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg freq varies. Msg&data rates may apply.

A.3 — STOP Keyword Response

Sent automatically as the single final message after a member texts STOP (or STOPALL, END, QUIT, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, OPT OUT). Once this message is sent, no further marketing or informational messages will go to that member from that Church through the Service unless the member affirmatively opts back in. The Service will still respond to subsequent START or HELP messages from that number, as carriers require.

You have been unsubscribed from [Church Name] text messages. Reply START to resubscribe.

A.4 — START / Re-Subscribe Response

Sent when a previously opted-out member texts START, UNSTOP, or YES to resubscribe. Required by carriers so that opt-outs are reversible by the member at any time.

[Church Name]: You're resubscribed and will again receive text messages from [Church Name]. Reply HELP for help, STOP to cancel. Msg&data rates may apply.

Part B — Opt-In Language for Churches

Before a Church may send SMS to a Member through the Service, the Member must give express written consent. The language below satisfies the consent requirements of the TCPA and CTIA Messaging Principles & Best Practices. Each version is calibrated for a different collection method.

B.1 — Required Elements (Reference)

Whatever the format, every opt-in must include:

Clear identification of the sender (the Church).
A description of the kinds of messages the Member will receive.
Approximate message frequency (typically: “Msg freq varies”).
A statement that message and data rates may apply (typically: “Msg&data rates may apply”).
Instructions on how to opt out (Reply STOP) and how to get help (Reply HELP).
A link to the Church’s privacy policy (or to MCS’s privacy policy if the Church does not maintain its own).
An affirmative action by the Member: a deliberately-checked box, signature, or typed initials. Pre-checked boxes are not sufficient.

Consent cannot be a condition of membership, joining, or receiving services from the Church. The Member must be able to decline and still participate fully.

B.2 — Online Opt-In (Web Form)

Place this language adjacent to a checkbox on any web form that collects a phone number for messaging (member directory sign-up, event registration, prayer-list sign-up, etc.). The checkbox must not be pre-checked.

[ ] I agree to receive text messages from [Church Name] at the mobile number I provided above. Messages may include service announcements, event reminders, prayer chain requests, schedule changes, and pastoral communications. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for help. See our Privacy Policy: [Church Privacy Policy URL]. Consent is not a condition of membership.

Optional shorter version, if space is tight:

I agree to receive text messages from [Church Name]. Msg freq varies. Msg&data rates may apply. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Privacy Policy: [URL]. Consent is not required to join.

B.3 — Paper Opt-In (Printed Sign-Up Sheet, Bulletin Insert, Card)

Use this version on paper directory forms, bulletin inserts, or a tear-off card in the narthex. The Member must initial or sign next to the consent statement; a name in the row of a roster is not enough. MCS provides a ready-to-print consent form: Download SMS Consent Form (PDF).

TEXT MESSAGE OPT-IN Mobile Number: __________________________ My initials below indicate that I agree to receive text messages from [Church Name] at the mobile number above. Messages may include service announcements, event reminders, prayer chain requests, schedule changes, and pastoral communications. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. To stop messages at any time, reply STOP to any message. For help, reply HELP. I understand that this consent is not required to be a member of, or participate in the ministry of, [Church Name]. Initials: ______ Date: ______________

B.4 — Verbal Opt-In (Discouraged)

Verbal consent collected over the phone or in person is permitted by law in some circumstances but is difficult to document and defend. If a Church must rely on a verbal opt-in, the staff member taking the consent should send the Member a confirmation text immediately (using the welcome message in A.1) and record in the directory: (i) the date and time consent was given, (ii) the staff member who collected it, and (iii) the script that was read. Verbal opt-ins should be followed up with a paper or online form as soon as practicable, and in any case before the next non-confirmation message is sent. A verbal opt-in not memorialized in writing is the weakest form of consent and should be treated as a stopgap, not a permanent record.

B.5 — Member-Facing Notice (Bulletin, Website, Narthex)

Plain-language wording that a Church can post in the worship bulletin, on its website, or as a sign in the narthex to explain the program. Not a substitute for an opt-in form, but improves transparency and helps members understand why they’re being asked to sign up.

About our text-message ministry: [Church Name] uses text messages to share service announcements, event reminders, prayer chain requests, weather-related cancellations, and pastoral updates with members who choose to receive them. You will receive messages only after you have signed up. You can stop messages at any time by replying STOP to any message, or by asking the church office to remove you. Message and data rates from your mobile carrier may apply. To sign up, fill out the form at [URL or location], or contact the church office at [Phone] or [Email].

B.6 — Re-Confirmation for Existing Member Lists

Many Churches have an existing directory full of mobile numbers that were never formally documented with TCPA-compliant consent. Those numbers cannot lawfully be enrolled in a new SMS program without obtaining fresh consent. The following script is what a Church should use to invite existing Members to opt in (delivered by email, by paper mailing, or in a bulletin), not by sending an unsolicited SMS to the existing list. The reference to “the enclosed card” below refers to the printable SMS Consent Form (PDF).

Dear [Member Name], We are launching a text-message ministry to share service announcements, event reminders, prayer chain requests, and weather-related cancellations with members who would like to receive them. To comply with federal law, we cannot enroll anyone automatically — we need each member's express permission first. If you would like to receive text messages from [Church Name], please either (a) sign and return the enclosed card, or (b) visit [URL] and complete the sign-up form. Both methods present the full consent language and capture your mobile number. You will then receive a one-time confirmation text, and may unsubscribe at any time by replying STOP. Messages may include service announcements, event reminders, prayer chain requests, schedule changes, and pastoral communications. Consent is not a condition of membership. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates from your mobile carrier may apply. In Christ, [Pastor / Office Administrator Name]

Important — Do NOT send a “please opt in” SMS to existing numbers that have not given consent. That message itself is a TCPA violation and can carry statutory damages of $500 per message, trebled to $1,500 for willful or knowing violations (47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3)).

Part C — Operational Guidance

C.1 — Recordkeeping

For each opt-in, the Service records (or the Church should record, in the case of paper forms uploaded to the directory):

The Member’s name and mobile number.
The date and time consent was given.
The exact wording the Member agreed to.
The mechanism (online form, paper form, verbal with confirmation text).
The identity of the person collecting consent, where applicable.

These records must be retained for at least four (4) years following the last message sent or the date consent was withdrawn, whichever is later. The TCPA’s statute of limitations is generally four years, so this aligns the records-retention window with the period in which a claim could plausibly be brought.

C.2 — Phone Number Changes and Reassignment

A Member may change phone carriers, transfer a number, or give up a number that is later reassigned to a different person. The FCC maintains a Reassigned Numbers Database (administered by Somos) that messaging platforms can query to identify numbers that have been disconnected and may have been reassigned. The Service performs reasonable reassigned-number checks before delivering messages to inactive numbers, but Churches should also:

Promptly update the directory when a Member reports a new number, and re-collect consent if the new number was not part of the original opt-in.
Treat any “wrong number” reply or auto-reply (e.g., “This person no longer has this number”) as a request to stop messaging that number, and remove it from the active list.

C.3 — Complaints and Carrier Notices

If a Member complains about messages they did not consent to receive, the Church should: (a) immediately remove the Member from the active list and confirm in writing; (b) preserve the Member’s contact information and any communications about the complaint; (c) review the Member’s opt-in record (or absence of one); and (d) report the complaint to MCS at pastoralex@mychurchsecretary.com within five (5) business days so that we can investigate and, if necessary, notify its SMS provider and the relevant carriers. Churches should not delete consent or message records related to a complaint; doing so can be treated as spoliation if the matter escalates.

C.4 — Bulk Imports and List Hygiene

Before importing a list of mobile numbers into the Service for the first time, the Church should: (a) confirm that each number was collected with a documented, TCPA-compliant opt-in; (b) scrub the list for invalid numbers, landlines mis-coded as mobile, and known opt-outs; and (c) flag any numbers without a documented consent so that the Service will not include them in active messaging until consent has been refreshed using the language in Section B.6.

— End of SMS Program & Policy —