description 1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using Church Musician ("the Platform," "Service," "we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you disagree with any part of these terms, you do not have permission to access or use the Service.

These Terms apply to all visitors, users, and others who access or use the Service, including but not limited to Music Directors, Substitute Musicians, Choir Members, and Church Administrators.

info 2. Description of Service

Church Musician is a platform designed to connect churches with qualified musicians for various music ministry needs. Our services include:

• Job posting and management for church music positions
• Connecting Music Directors with Substitute Musicians
• Choir and ensemble management tools
• Scheduling and calendar management
• Invoice generation and payment tracking
• Communication tools between platform users
• Digital music library management
• Rating and review systems

person 3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Creation

To use certain features of the Service, you must register for an account. When creating an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Maintain the security of your password and account
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use

3.2 Account Types

The Platform offers different account types with specific roles and permissions:

• Music Director: Can post jobs, manage choirs, hire substitutes, and manage church music programs
• Substitute Musician: Can browse and apply for jobs, track personal schedule, and receive payments
• Administrator: Platform administrators with elevated privileges for system management

3.3 Account Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account and use the Service. By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement.

rule 4. User Conduct and Responsibilities

4.1 Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Service only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree NOT to:

• Use the Service in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations
• Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation
• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information
• Harass, abuse, or harm another person or entity
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Service
• Use automated systems to access the Service without permission
• Collect or harvest user data without authorization
• Use the Service for any commercial purpose not authorized by us

4.2 Professional Conduct

All users are expected to maintain professional standards:

• Honor all job commitments and scheduled appearances
• Communicate promptly and professionally with other users
• Provide accurate information about qualifications and availability
• Treat all users with respect and dignity
• Comply with the policies and procedures of host churches

verified_user 5. Accountability and Absence Policy

Church Musician maintains strict accountability standards to ensure reliability for all users:

5.1 No-Show Policy

Substitute Musicians who accept a job are expected to fulfill their commitment. Music Directors may report a substitute as absent ("no-show") if the substitute fails to appear for a scheduled job without prior notice.

5.2 Consequences of Absences

• First Absence: Your account will be locked. You will receive a warning notification and must contact our support team to have your account unlocked. This serves as a formal warning.
• Second Absence: Your account will be permanently banned from the platform. This decision is final and reflects the serious nature of unreliability in church music ministry.

5.3 Dispute Process

If you believe an absence was reported in error, you may dispute the absence by contacting our support team within 7 days of the report. You must provide documentation or evidence supporting your dispute. All disputes will be reviewed by our administrative team, and decisions are final.

work 6. Job Postings and Applications

6.1 Job Postings (Music Directors)

When posting jobs, Music Directors agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete job details
• Specify fair and appropriate compensation
• Honor the terms of posted jobs
• Communicate changes or cancellations promptly
• Pay substitutes as agreed upon completion of services

6.2 Job Applications (Substitute Musicians)

When applying for jobs, Substitute Musicians agree to:

• Only apply for jobs they are qualified to perform
• Be available for the specified date and time
• Honor accepted job commitments
• Arrive prepared and on time
• Notify the Music Director immediately if unable to fulfill a commitment

6.3 Job Completion

Jobs are automatically marked as complete after the scheduled event time passes. Both parties may leave ratings and reviews after job completion.

credit_card 7. Subscriptions and Billing

7.1 Subscription Plans

Church Musician offers the following subscription plans. Each plan provides different features and capabilities tailored to your role:

• Substitute Plan: For substitute musicians who fill in at various churches, providing access to music libraries and scheduling tools
• Music Director Plan: For music directors and churches, providing full access to choir management, music library organization, scheduling, and member management features
• Choir Member Plan: For choir members, providing access to practice materials, voice part recordings, sheet music, and choir communication tools

Current pricing and detailed plan features are available on our Pricing Page.

7.2 Free Trial

We may offer free trial periods for certain subscription plans. During the trial:

• You will have access to the features of the trial plan
• No payment is required during the trial period
• You may cancel at any time before the trial ends without charge
• At the end of the trial, your subscription will automatically convert to a paid subscription unless you cancel
• We will notify you before the trial ends and before any charge is made

7.3 Payment Processing

All payment processing is handled by Stripe, our third-party payment processor. By subscribing to a paid plan, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete billing information
• Authorize us to charge your payment method for the subscription fees
• Keep your payment information current and accurate
• Stripe's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

We do not store your full credit card information on our servers. All payment data is securely processed and stored by Stripe in compliance with PCI-DSS standards.

7.4 Automatic Renewal

All paid subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period (monthly or annually) unless you cancel before the renewal date. By subscribing, you authorize us to charge your payment method automatically for each renewal period.

• Monthly subscriptions renew on the same day each month
• Annual subscriptions renew on the anniversary of your subscription start date
• You will receive a reminder email before each renewal
• Renewal prices are subject to change with 30 days' notice

7.5 Plan Changes (Upgrades and Downgrades)

You may change your subscription plan at any time:

• Upgrades: When upgrading to a higher-tier plan, the change takes effect immediately. You will be charged a prorated amount for the remainder of your current billing period based on the difference between your old and new plan.
• Downgrades: When downgrading to a lower-tier plan, the change takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You will retain access to your current plan's features until then. A prorated credit may be applied to your account for the unused portion of your current plan.
• Proration: We calculate prorated charges and credits based on the number of days remaining in your billing period.

7.6 Cancellation Policy

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings (Billing page) or by contacting support. Our cancellation policy differs based on your billing interval:

• Your account will revert to a Free plan after cancellation
• Your data will be retained according to our data retention policy
• You may resubscribe at any time

7.7 Refund Policy

All refunds are prorated. Our refund policy is as follows:

• Monthly Subscriptions: No refund. If you cancel, your subscription simply will not renew at the end of the current billing period. You retain access until that date.
• Annual Subscriptions: Prorated refund based on the time remaining after the end of the current calendar month. Refund amount = (Annual Price ÷ 12) × Remaining Full Months.
• Access Period: When cancelling an annual subscription, you will have access until the end of the current calendar month.
• Refund Processing: Refunds are automatically processed to your original payment method within 5-10 business days.
• Billing Errors: If you believe you were charged in error, contact us within 60 days for review and potential refund.
• Service Issues: Refund requests due to service issues will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

For questions about refunds, contact our support team at billing@churchmusician.com with your account information.

7.8 Failed Payments

If a payment fails:

• We will notify you by email of the failed payment
• We will automatically retry the payment up to 3 times over 7 days
• You may update your payment method in your account settings
• If payment cannot be collected after multiple attempts, your subscription may be suspended or downgraded to the Free plan
• Outstanding balances may be sent to collections

7.9 Taxes

Subscription fees are exclusive of any applicable taxes. You are responsible for paying any taxes, including sales tax, use tax, VAT, or similar taxes imposed by any government entity. We will collect and remit taxes where legally required to do so.

payment 8. Payments Between Users

In addition to platform subscription fees, Church Musician provides tools for payment arrangements between Music Directors and Substitute Musicians:

• The Platform facilitates invoicing and payment tracking for jobs
• Payment arrangements for individual jobs are made directly between Music Directors and Substitute Musicians
• We are not responsible for payment disputes between users for services rendered
• Users are responsible for their own tax obligations related to income from jobs
• Compensation amounts for substitute work are determined by the posting party

Music Directors are expected to pay Substitute Musicians as agreed upon completion of services. Failure to pay may result in account suspension or termination and negative reviews.

star 9. Ratings and Reviews

Our rating and review system helps maintain quality and trust on the platform:

• Reviews must be honest, fair, and based on actual experience
• Reviews may not contain false, defamatory, or malicious content
• We reserve the right to remove reviews that violate these Terms
• Users may not offer incentives for positive reviews
• Reviews become part of your permanent platform profile

copyright 10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Platform Content

The Service and its original content (excluding content provided by users), features, and functionality are owned by Church Musician and are protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.

10.2 User Content

You retain ownership of content you submit to the Platform. By submitting content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content in connection with the Service.

10.3 Music Library

Users are responsible for ensuring they have proper rights and licenses for any sheet music or recordings uploaded to the Platform. We do not claim ownership of uploaded music content but are not liable for copyright violations by users.

privacy_tip 11. Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Service, you consent to our collection and use of personal data as outlined in the Privacy Policy.

block 12. Termination

12.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting our support team. Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease.

12.2 Termination by Us

We may terminate or suspend your account immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including but not limited to:

• Breach of these Terms
• Violation of the Absence Policy (second offense)
• Fraudulent or illegal activity
• Harassment or abuse of other users
• Repeated complaints from other users
• Any conduct we deem harmful to the Platform or its users

12.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, all provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

warning 13. Disclaimers

We are a platform that connects churches with musicians. We do not employ the musicians and are not responsible for their performance, qualifications, or conduct. All hiring decisions are made by the Music Directors.

shield 14. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Church Musician shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to:

• Loss of profits, revenue, or data
• Cost of substitute services
• Damages arising from use or inability to use the Service
• Damages arising from any interaction between users
• Damages arising from unauthorized access to your account

Our total liability for any claims arising from or related to these Terms or the Service shall not exceed the amount you have paid us in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

security 15. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Church Musician and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, and suppliers from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms or your use of the Service.

balance 16. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation. If negotiation fails, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association.

edit 17. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify or replace these Terms at any time at our sole discretion. If a revision is material, we will provide at least 30 days' notice prior to any new terms taking effect. What constitutes a material change will be determined at our sole discretion. By continuing to access or use our Service after any revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised terms.

account_tree 18. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be struck and the remaining provisions shall be enforced to the fullest extent under law.

article 19. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other legal notices published by us on the Service, constitute the entire agreement between you and Church Musician concerning the Service and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.