Clouds for churches and parish offices

It sounds crazy: digitization is also playing a role in churches and parish offices. Cloud services in a place of worship, for example, make work processes easier and also offer protection when storing personal data. Here we provide insight into the application scenarios and advantages of clouds in churches.

Advantages of a cloud for churches

The potential use of cloud solutions in church buildings is more extensive than imagined. We show which advantages arise when churches rely on cloud computing.

Cloud services in houses of worship relieve the burden on salaried or volunteer employees who take care of administrative tasks and IT structures. A provider such as TeamDrive provides its service according to demand and can therefore be used flexibly. Superfluous costs for unused functions can thus be avoided. Cloud services have the advantage that they offer mobile use.

Apps make it possible to access cloud content regardless of location and end device. Access is protected in that administrators can assign and manage rights individually within a church congregation. All data in the cloud is therefore safe from unauthorized access. TeamDrive offers the highest level of security with Zero Knowledge, because the provider itself also has no insight into stored data. Since files in cloud storage are automatically synchronized, users can retrieve the latest versions of a document at any time.

Another plus point is that a provider like TeamDrive is compatible with common software products from other manufacturers. This means that other programs such as Microsoft Office or antivirus software can be combined with TeamDrive without any problems. This applies to all end devices, i.e. computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. Thanks to this linkage and flexible use cases, cloud computing helps digital-savvy churches and pastors complete upcoming tasks faster.

Use of cloud solutions in churches

Church institutions store a large amount of personal data in membership lists. To ensure the data protection of this sensitive information, cloud storage with virtual data rooms is recommended. There, the lists are stored securely and encrypted in digital form so that strangers cannot access them without authorization.

A cloud service also offers the function of composing and editing documents regardless of location. This enables members of a church congregation to jointly create plans for church services or congregational newsletters. Access via full end-to-end encryption with a cloud solution such as TeamDrive guarantees maximum security when processing and storing data. Using a cloud is particularly interesting because stored church documents can be sent to and viewed by others via encrypted links. The days of oversized attachments in emails, which often did not reach the recipient and were insecure due to insufficient encryption, are over with cloud services.

It is also worthwhile to digitize the minutes of clerical meetings. This not only improves collaboration and communication internally, but also more effectively engages external volunteers and partners. Digital documents can not only be stored in a cloud, but synchronized across multiple devices. It is not necessary to set up your own IT infrastructure or additional software, with the exception of the applications of the respective cloud provider. The costs saved on administrative IT tasks are available to other areas of the church community.

The Corona pandemic in particular has shown that the use of digital applications and clouds is beneficial for churches. Mobile tech and cloud-based infrastructure offers clergy opportunities to work remotely and conduct online services. Responsible pastors, priests or ministers also have full control over who gets access to all data. After all, the security of personal data and information in a church cloud is paramount.

Security aspects of clouds for houses of worship

A cloud in church institutions ensures all relevant aspects that are important for storing sensitive data. Therefore, cloud providers such as TeamDrive can be used without hesitation for work in houses of worship and church congregations.

At first glance, cloud solutions have not been a big issue in church congregations in the past. But digital change does not stop at the church door. At the latest when personal and sensitive data is processed and archived in a church congregation, legal regulations apply. This is particularly true if these details and files are available digitally.

One such regulation is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires that sensitive information, including personal data, may only be stored on European servers. This means that cloud services such as Owncloud, Dropbox, Microsoft’s OneDrive or Apple’s iCloud are no longer suitable. Services from Google, such as Google Drive, are also unsuitable as a church cloud under these circumstances.

In addition to obligations arising from data protection, cloud solutions in churches require secure encryption procedures. Only in this way are stored documents safe from theft and misuse.

TeamDrive as the optimal cloud solution for houses of worship

TeamDrive’s Professional Starter 5 cloud package is the perfect offering for houses of worship and parish offices. All data is stored on German servers. This means that TeamDrive’s cloud solution meets the strict requirements of the GDPR. In addition, a separate contract for professional secrecy holders in accordance with Section 203 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) ensures further data security.

TeamDrive offers data security and protection against data loss through end-to-end encryption and an automatic backup function. This means that all data is protected against hacker attacks or ransomware and can be restored quickly in the event of a system failure.

For non-profit organizations, TeamDrive offers a 50 percent discount on the starter package Professional Starter 5, enabling churches to get started with cloud computing without superfluous functions. If required, further modules of the cloud service can be added.

Churches also benefit from the other advantages of using TeamDrive:

Do you want to securely exchange and manage sensitive data in a church institution? With the help of TeamDrive, you can organize joint collaboration and the exchange of documents more efficiently. Thanks to the storage of data on German servers, the much stricter standards of church data protection law are also met.

* Please contact our sales department for proof of non-profit status. There you will receive a personal voucher code to book your cloud services online.