Welcome to the SMS Compliance Documentation Center

This Compliance Documentation Center has been prepared by The Shepherd Network LLC to assist Twilio, mobile carriers, regulatory reviewers, and other authorized compliance personnel in reviewing the SMS messaging consent process used by ShepherdSync Volunteer Scheduling & Service Notifications.

ShepherdSync is an invitation-only volunteer scheduling and ministry communication platform developed and operated by The Shepherd Network LLC. The system enables approved volunteers to receive scheduling updates, service reminders, volunteer opportunities, emergency ministry notifications, and other administrative communications related to their volunteer service.

Because ShepherdSync is not a public registration system, reviewers cannot independently access the production registration process without an administrator-issued invitation. To provide complete transparency, this documentation center demonstrates the entire production consent workflow exactly as it appears to users during account registration.

The documentation included throughout this page shows that:

• SMS enrollment is completely optional and is never required to create or use a ShepherdSync account.
• Users must provide affirmative, express consent before SMS messaging is enabled.
• The SMS consent option is presented separately from acceptance of the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
• No SMS messages are sent unless the user voluntarily elects to receive them.
• Users may revoke consent at any time by replying STOP or by updating their notification preferences, where applicable.
• Public copies of the Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and SMS Consent Policy are available for review.

The purpose of this documentation is to document the ShepherdSync SMS consent process and the safeguards implemented to support compliance with applicable messaging requirements and recognized industry best practices.

The Shepherd Network LLC is a faith-based organization dedicated to developing technology, educational resources, and ministry support services that strengthen churches, volunteers, and communities.

One of its technology platforms is ShepherdSync, an invitation-only volunteer scheduling and ministry communication system designed to help churches coordinate volunteer service, improve communication, and reduce administrative workload.

ShepherdSync is not a public marketing platform and is not used for promotional text messaging. Its SMS functionality exists solely to facilitate operational communications between participating organizations and their approved volunteers.

SMS messages are sent only to approved volunteers who have affirmatively opted in to receive SMS notifications.

Messages sent through ShepherdSync may include:

• Volunteer scheduling notifications
• Service reminders
• Assignment confirmations
• Open volunteer opportunities
• Emergency ministry notifications
• Administrative service announcements

ShepherdSync does not send unsolicited marketing messages. SMS messaging is available only to approved users who voluntarily provide affirmative consent to receive text notifications.

The Shepherd Network LLC is committed to maintaining transparent messaging practices, respecting user privacy, and providing recipients with clear methods to opt in, obtain assistance, and revoke consent at any time.

Purpose of the SMS Messaging Program

The ShepherdSync SMS Messaging Program is an operational communications service provided by The Shepherd Network LLC to assist approved volunteers participating in ministry service.

The messaging program exists solely to support volunteer scheduling, ministry coordination, and operational communication. It is not designed or used for advertising, promotional marketing, sales, fundraising solicitations, or lead generation.

SMS messaging is an optional feature that may be enabled only after an approved volunteer provides affirmative, express consent to receive text messages.

Program Eligibility

Only individuals who satisfy all of the following requirements may receive SMS messages through ShepherdSync:

• Receive an administrator-issued invitation from an authorized ministry administrator.
• Successfully create a ShepherdSync account.
• Complete the required email verification process.
• Complete account registration.
• Review and accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
• Voluntarily opt in to SMS notifications through the separate SMS Consent process.

Individuals who do not complete the SMS consent process will never receive SMS notifications.

Types of SMS Messages

After an approved volunteer has opted in, ShepherdSync may send operational notifications including:

• Volunteer scheduling assignments
• Schedule changes
• Service reminders
• Volunteer opportunity notifications
• Assignment confirmations
• Emergency ministry notifications
• Ministry operational announcements
• Administrative ministry notifications
• Account-related notification preferences
• Account verification and security notifications when necessary

Messages ShepherdSync Does NOT Send

ShepherdSync does not send:

• Promotional advertising
• Marketing campaigns
• Sales offers
• Coupons
• Product promotions
• Political messaging
• Third-party advertising
• Purchased lead messaging
• Affiliate marketing
• Mass unsolicited text messages

Every SMS communication relates directly to an approved volunteer's participation within their ministry organization.

Privacy Protection

Telephone numbers are used solely for operational ministry communications associated with ShepherdSync.

The Shepherd Network LLC does not sell, rent, lease, or share SMS subscriber information with third-party marketers.

All SMS communications remain subject to The Shepherd Network LLC Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and SMS Consent Policy.

Industry Compliance

The ShepherdSync SMS Messaging Program has been designed to operate in accordance with recognized messaging compliance standards, including:

• Express affirmative consent prior to messaging
• Separate SMS consent process
• Optional enrollment
• Clear disclosure of message frequency
• STOP and HELP functionality
• Public Privacy Policy: theshepherdnetwork.org/privacy
• Public Terms of Service: theshepherdnetwork.org/terms
• Public SMS Consent Policy: theshepherdnetwork.org/sms-consent
• No promotional marketing
• No purchased contact lists
• No unsolicited messaging

Purpose

The ShepherdSync Volunteer Registration Process is designed to ensure that only approved volunteers of participating organizations may create an account and receive operational ministry communications.

ShepherdSync is not a public registration platform. User accounts cannot be self-created by members of the general public. Every account originates from an administrator-issued invitation and follows a controlled registration workflow before SMS messaging may be enabled.

The registration workflow is designed to support:

• Invitation-only account creation
• User identity verification
• Secure account activation
• Acceptance of legal agreements
• Separate, optional SMS consent
• Ongoing user control of notification preferences

Registration Workflow Overview

The standard registration process follows these steps:

Step 1 — Administrator Issues Invitation

An authorized ministry administrator selects an approved volunteer and sends a registration invitation.

• Only authorized administrators may issue invitations.
• The general public cannot request or create ShepherdSync accounts independently.

Step 2 — Volunteer Receives Invitation

The volunteer receives an invitation containing instructions for creating a ShepherdSync account.

• The invitation directs the volunteer to the official registration page.
• Registration invitations are intended solely for the invited recipient and may not be transferred or shared.

Step 3 — Account Creation

The volunteer creates a ShepherdSync account by providing the required registration information.

Depending on the registration method, the volunteer may:

• Sign in using Google Authentication, or
• Register using an email address and password.

Both methods create the same ShepherdSync account and are subject to the same Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Step 4 — Required Email Verification

For registrations requiring email verification, the volunteer must complete the required email verification process before account activation.

• Accounts remain inactive until required verification is successfully completed.

Step 5 — Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Before continuing, volunteers review and accept:

• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy

• Acceptance of these legal agreements is required for account use.
• Acceptance of these agreements does not automatically enroll the volunteer in SMS messaging.

Step 6 — Separate SMS Consent

If SMS notifications are available, the volunteer is presented with a separate SMS Consent dialog.

• The SMS consent request is independent from acceptance of the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Volunteers may:

• Opt in to SMS notifications
• Decline SMS notifications

Choosing not to participate in SMS messaging does not prevent use of ShepherdSync.

Step 7 — Notification Preferences

Volunteers who opt into SMS messaging may configure their notification preferences.

Preferences may include operational ministry notifications such as:

• Schedule assignments
• Service reminders
• Ministry opportunities
• Administrative notifications
• Emergency ministry communications

Step 8 — Registration Complete

After registration is complete:

• The volunteer account becomes active.
• Notification preferences are saved.
• Operational communications may begin according to the volunteer's selected preferences.
• SMS messaging is available only if affirmative consent has been provided.

Key Compliance Safeguards

The ShepherdSync registration process incorporates multiple safeguards designed to ensure compliance with recognized messaging standards:

• Invitation-only registration
• Administrator-controlled account creation
• Required user authentication
• Separate legal agreement acceptance
• Separate SMS consent collection
• Optional SMS enrollment
• User-controlled notification preferences
• STOP and HELP functionality after enrollment
• Public legal documentation available at all times

Purpose of SMS Consent

The SMS Consent step exists to ensure that no volunteer receives recurring text messages from the ShepherdSync Volunteer Scheduling & Service Notifications program unless that volunteer has voluntarily and affirmatively elected to participate.

Three principles govern the consent process:

• Optional. SMS consent is not required to create an account, complete registration, or participate as a volunteer. A volunteer may decline SMS and continue using ShepherdSync through email and in-app messaging.
• Separate. SMS consent is presented as a distinct step, independent from acceptance of the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Accepting the legal agreements does not enroll a volunteer in SMS messaging.
• Affirmative. No SMS messaging is activated by default, by account creation, or by any passive action. SMS becomes available only when the volunteer affirmatively selects the consent control.

The consent process is designed to satisfy recognized messaging-compliance standards that require clear, voluntary, and separately obtained opt-in consent for recurring SMS communications.

When Consent Appears

The SMS Consent dialog appears at a single, specific point in the registration workflow — and only at that point:

• After registration is complete. The volunteer has already created the account and completed required email verification (when applicable).
• After legal agreements are accepted. The volunteer has already accepted the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy as a separate required action.
• Before notification preferences are saved. The consent decision is collected before any notification preferences are stored or any messaging channel is activated.

Consent is not presented during account creation, not bundled with legal acceptance, and not deferred to a later marketing screen. The dialog appears once, in sequence, so that the volunteer encounters the SMS decision as a deliberate, standalone choice.

The placement reflects the registration workflow documented in Section 4: invitation → registration → legal acceptance → SMS consent → preferences → account complete.

Consent Dialog

The SMS Consent dialog presents the volunteer with a single, clearly labeled consent control and the full disclosure required for recurring SMS messaging. The dialog contains the following elements, in order:

• Consent checkbox. A checkbox control labeled with the complete SMS disclosure. The box is displayed unchecked by default (see Default State below).
• Mobile number field. A text field for the volunteer's mobile telephone number. A mobile telephone number is requested only when the volunteer elects to receive SMS notifications. Volunteers who decline SMS consent are not required to provide a mobile number for messaging purposes.
• Disclosure language. The exact consent text displayed beside the checkbox is:

I agree to receive recurring automated SMS messages from The Shepherd Network LLC through the ShepherdSync Volunteer Scheduling & Service Notifications program, sent from (502) 517-7226. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for assistance. Consent is optional and is not a condition of account creation, purchase, or volunteer participation.

• Legal links. The dialog provides direct links to the Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and SMS/Text Messaging Terms, so the volunteer can review the governing documents before deciding.
• Continue and decline controls. The dialog allows the volunteer to proceed with the box unchecked (decline) or checked (opt in). There is no control that pre-selects the box or that requires opt-in to continue.

The disclosure identifies the sender (The Shepherd Network LLC), the program (ShepherdSync Volunteer Scheduling & Service Notifications), the sending number ((502) 517-7226), the opt-out and help commands, and the optional, non-required nature of consent.

Default State

The consent checkbox is unchecked by default when the dialog is presented to the volunteer.

This default is a core compliance requirement. A pre-selected checkbox does not constitute affirmative consent and would not satisfy recognized messaging-consent standards. The ShepherdSync consent control loads unchecked on every registration, regardless of whether the volunteer has provided a mobile number or accepted the legal agreements.

Affirmative Consent

SMS messaging is enabled only by a deliberate, affirmative action taken by the volunteer. The sequence that activates SMS is:

1. The volunteer reaches the SMS Consent dialog with the checkbox unchecked.
2. The volunteer reads the disclosure identifying the sender, program, sending number, frequency, rates, and STOP/HELP commands.
3. The volunteer enters a mobile number (required only to opt in).
4. The volunteer checks the box — the affirmative action that grants consent.
5. The volunteer clicks Continue, confirming the decision.

Only after this sequence is the consent recorded and SMS messaging made available. No intermediary step, no account-default setting, and no prior acceptance of legal agreements activates SMS on the volunteer's behalf.

There is no automatic enrollment path. SMS is never activated by:

• Account creation or login
• Acceptance of the Terms of Service or Privacy Policy
• Providing a mobile number alone, without checking the box
• Any administrative setting or default configuration

Declining Consent

A volunteer who declines SMS consent — by leaving the checkbox unchecked and clicking Continue — is fully able to use ShepherdSync. Declining consent has no penalty and no loss of access.

• The account still works. The volunteer's ShepherdSync account is created and activated exactly as it would be for a volunteer who opts in. Account functionality, scheduling visibility, and volunteer participation are unaffected.
• Email and in-app messaging still work. The volunteer continues to receive operational communications through email and in-app messaging channels. Declining SMS does not remove the volunteer from any non-SMS communication.
• No SMS is sent. No recurring ShepherdSync text messages are delivered to the volunteer. The system records the consent decision as declined and does not enroll the mobile number (if any) in the SMS program.

Declining consent is a complete and final choice at the time of registration. A volunteer who declines may opt in later through the notification preferences page; a volunteer who opts in may withdraw consent at any time through STOP, the preferences page, or by contacting support (see Consent Withdrawal below).

What Is Recorded

When a volunteer makes a consent decision — opt in or decline — the system records a timestamped consent record. The record documents the decision and its context so that The Shepherd Network LLC can demonstrate, on request, that affirmative consent was obtained (or that the volunteer declined).

The consent record includes:

• The volunteer's consent decision (opt-in granted or declined)
• The mobile telephone number provided, if the volunteer opted in
• The notification preferences selected, if the volunteer opted in
• The timestamp of the volunteer's consent action (date and time)
• The account association linking the consent record to the volunteer's ShepherdSync account
• The disclosure version presented to the volunteer at the time of consent
• The source of the consent (ShepherdSync SMS Consent dialog during registration)

When a volunteer declines, the record notes that consent was not granted and no mobile number is enrolled for SMS. When a volunteer later withdraws consent (via STOP or the preferences page), the opt-out status and withdrawal timestamp are appended to the same record.

This section documents exactly what ShepherdSync records. The system does not claim to retain additional data — such as IP addresses or device fingerprints — as part of the consent evidence record. Only the data elements listed above are captured to demonstrate and administer consent.

Consent records are retained in accordance with The Shepherd Network LLC's record retention practices and are available to support compliance reviews when required.

Consent Withdrawal

A volunteer who has opted in to SMS messaging may withdraw consent at any time through any of the following methods:

• Reply STOP. The volunteer replies STOP (or QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, or UNSUBSCRIBE) to any ShepherdSync SMS message. The withdrawal is processed and the volunteer is removed from all recurring SMS messaging.
• Reply HELP. The volunteer may reply HELP for assistance, including instructions on how to opt out, and may then reply STOP to complete the withdrawal.
• Notification preferences page. The volunteer may log in to ShepherdSync and disable SMS notifications through the notification preferences page, revoking consent without sending a text.

After withdrawal is processed:

• No further recurring ShepherdSync SMS messages are sent to the volunteer.
• The system may send one final, non-promotional confirmation message acknowledging the opt-out request.
• The volunteer's account, email communications, and in-app messaging remain fully active. Withdrawal affects only SMS.
• The withdrawal and its timestamp are appended to the consent record.
• The volunteer may later re-subscribe using START (when supported) or by re-enabling SMS through the notification preferences page.

Withdrawal is honored immediately whenever technically feasible and within the time required by applicable law and carrier rules. A volunteer who has withdrawn consent may re-subscribe later by replying START (when supported) or by affirmatively re-granting consent through the notification preferences page.

Key Compliance Safeguards

The ShepherdSync SMS Consent Process incorporates multiple safeguards designed to ensure compliance with recognized messaging standards:

• Invitation-only registration
• Separate SMS consent process
• Unchecked consent checkbox by default
• Express affirmative opt-in required
• Consent independent of legal agreement acceptance
• Consent not required for account use
• STOP and HELP functionality supported
• User-controlled notification preferences
• Public legal documentation continuously available
• Operational messaging only
• No promotional or marketing SMS
• No purchased contact lists
• No third-party advertising

Screenshot 6.1 — Default State (Unchecked)

The consent dialog as it appears when first presented to the volunteer. The SMS consent checkbox is displayed unchecked, with no mobile number pre-filled. The volunteer must take an affirmative action — checking the box — to opt in to SMS messaging.

Screenshot 6.2 — Affirmative Opt-In

The consent dialog after the volunteer has affirmatively checked the consent box and entered a mobile number. This is the only state in which SMS messaging is activated. The volunteer's affirmative action — checking the box — is what grants consent, not the acceptance of legal agreements or account creation.

Screenshot 6.3 — Decline (Continue Without SMS)

The consent dialog when the volunteer chooses not to opt in. The checkbox remains unchecked and the volunteer clicks Continue to proceed. The account is created without SMS messaging enabled, demonstrating that SMS consent is not required to complete registration or participate as a volunteer.

Screenshot 6.4 — Opt-Out Confirmation — STOP Reply

When a volunteer who has opted in to SMS messaging replies STOP to a ShepherdSync message, the system processes the opt-out immediately and sends a confirmation message. This demonstrates the supported opt-out mechanism documented in Section 5, showing that withdrawal is honored and the volunteer receives acknowledgment.

Visual Evidence Summary

The renderings above demonstrate the ShepherdSync SMS Consent dialog in each documented state: default unchecked, affirmative opt-in, decline/continue, and opt-out via STOP. These renderings correspond directly to the consent workflow documented in Section 5 and the compliance safeguards listed in that section.

The following section (Public Legal Documents) provides direct links to the governing legal policies referenced throughout this compliance package.

Final Compliance Statement

This compliance package documents the ShepherdSync Volunteer Scheduling & Service Notifications SMS program operated by The Shepherd Network LLC. The program is designed to meet the requirements of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices, and carrier A2P 10DLC registration standards.

Key compliance commitments documented in this package:

• SMS consent is affirmative, voluntary, and separate from required acceptance of Terms, Privacy Policy, account creation, or any mandatory action.
• The SMS consent checkbox is unchecked by default, requiring an affirmative action to opt in.
• Mobile numbers are requested only when the volunteer elects to receive SMS.
• The SMS disclosure identifies the sender, program, sending number, frequency, rates, and STOP/HELP commands.
• Volunteers can decline SMS and still complete registration and participate as volunteers.
• STOP, HELP, and other standard opt-out commands are supported and processed immediately.
• Consent records include the mobile number, timestamp, disclosure version, source, and program.
• Mobile information and SMS consent data are not shared, sold, or provided to third parties for marketing.
• All legal documents referenced throughout this package are publicly accessible without login.

This compliance package, together with the public legal documents referenced in this section, constitutes the complete documentation for the ShepherdSync SMS program. The Shepherd Network LLC is committed to maintaining these standards and updating the documentation as the program evolves.