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General
What is Zionel?
Zionel is a multi-role church operations platform for member care, attendance, first-time guests, giving records, households, communications, ministry teams, and accountable administration.
Can more than one church use Zionel?
Yes. Each participating church operates within its own tenant boundary. Access is based on the signed-in user’s church and assigned role.
Church Administration
Who can change church records?
Only authenticated users with the required church role can perform an administrative action. A visible button does not replace server-side authorization.
Are important actions auditable?
Security-sensitive and operational actions are designed to leave accountable records appropriate to the workflow, including reversals rather than silent history rewriting.
Giving
Does Zionel store my full card number?
When hosted Stripe payment flows are used, card credentials are entered with the payment provider. Zionel retains only the references and status details needed to reconcile the contribution.
How are accidental duplicate charges prevented?
Zionel must lock and identify each payment attempt before calling the provider, while Stripe also supports idempotency. Both layers matter; a provider control does not replace Zionel’s transaction safeguards.
Attendance
How does secure QR check-in work?
A QR handoff opens the app without placing its redemption token in the server request URL. An authorized, signed-in usher completes redemption through the protected workflow.
Can a mistaken check-in be corrected?
Authorized staff can use the supported reversal workflow so the correction remains accountable instead of deleting history silently.
Security
How does Zionel separate roles and churches?
The server validates the signed session, tenant, and permission required for each protected operation. Role separation and church isolation are enforced at the application boundary, not trusted to the browser.
Why am I signed out after a period of time?
Session expiration limits the value of an unattended or stolen browser session. Sign in again through the normal flow rather than sharing credentials.
Privacy
Who should I contact about my church record?
Contact the church that collected or maintains the record. It can verify your identity and determine whether access, correction, or deletion is appropriate.
Does Zionel sell personal information?
No. Zionel does not currently sell personal information or build advertising profiles. See the privacy policy for current practices.
AI
Does AI make pastoral or financial decisions?
No. AI output is advisory and must be reviewed by an authorized person. It cannot replace pastoral judgment, financial approval, safeguarding, or access controls.
What information may an AI feature use?
An enabled feature should receive only the minimum context needed for the authorized request, subject to the church’s configuration and the applicable provider terms.
Households
What is a household in Zionel?
A household groups related people for appropriate church care and administration. It does not make every household detail visible to every user.
Visitors
What happens after a first-time guest submits details?
The church can assign follow-up, record contact attempts, and track the care journey according to its authorized process. Submission does not automatically create broad staff access.
Pricing
Where can my church confirm pricing?
Use the current proposal or service agreement supplied to your church. Public examples and competitor prices are not contractual quotes.
Support
How do I request help?
Members should begin with their church administrator. Church leaders should use the Zionel support channel listed in their service agreement so identity and tenant authority can be verified.
How do I report a broken link?
Send the page address, what you expected, and the approximate time to your church administrator or approved Zionel support channel. Never include passwords, payment-card data, session tokens, or confidential member details.
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