This company and all its efforts are consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and are part of the Association of Consecrated Companies. Read more about the process of consecration and the Association at the website of His Way at Work. The company was consecrated on the First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2025, after a nine-day preparatory and prayer period beginning the weekend of the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
We seek to be a living witness of the Gospel in the marketplace and to help others grow in their faith and how they live and share it.
For months, our founder, Deacon Michael Halbrook, prayed for “clarity and courage” in the call he was perceiving. As the effort was taking shape, “clarity and courage” expanded into the following through his Holy Hours and other times of prayer and contemplation. This is now how we execute our understanding of God’s vision for the company:
Clarity of mission.
Courage to act.
Consistency in execution.
Charity with graces received.
Further, Emmaus Disciples, Inc. is organized as a non-profit corporation in the State of Illinois, and is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 for tax purposes. We seek to use the gifts generously given to us by our members and supporters to further the mission of Emmaus Disciples and to increase charitable giving to worthy causes.
By visiting EmmausDisciples.com or one of our subdomains or affiliated sites (hereinafter referred to as the "Site(s)" or "Service(s)"), including the Community site at community.EmmausDisciples.com, you are consenting to this Terms of Service & Privacy Policy.
Overview
Emmaus Disciples, Inc. (the "Company") is committed to protecting your privacy online. This Privacy Policy describes the information we collect through our Sites, and how we collect and use such information.
The terms “we,” “us,” and “our” refers to the Company. The terms “user,” “you,” and “your” refer to site visitors, customers, subscribers, members, and any other users of our Site(s).
Use of our Services, including all materials presented herein and all online services provided by us is subject to the following Terms of Service & Privacy Policy (the "Policy"). This Policy applies to all site visitors, customers, subscribers, members, and all other users of the site. By using the Site or Service, you agree to this Policy, without modification, and acknowledge reading it.
Our Use of Cookies
A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. Cookies may be either “persistent” cookies or “session” cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiry date, unless deleted by the user before the expiry date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed. Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.
We use cookies for the following purposes:
(a) authentication - we use cookies to identify you when you visit our website and as you navigate our website;
(b) status - we use cookies to help us to determine if you are logged into our website;
(c) personalization - we use cookies to store information about your preferences and to personalize the website for you;
(d) security - we use cookies as an element of the security measures used to protect user accounts, including preventing fraudulent use of login credentials, and to protect our website and services generally;
(e) advertising - we use cookies to help us to display advertisements that will be relevant to you; and
(f) analysis – we use cookies to help us to analyze the use and performance of our Sites and Services;
We use Google Analytics to analyze the use of our Sites. Google Analytics gathers information about website use by means of cookies. The information gathered relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of our website. Google’s privacy policy is available at: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/
Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies and to delete cookies. The methods for doing so vary from browser to browser, and from version to version. You can however obtain up-to-date information about blocking and deleting cookies in common web browsers via these links:
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en (Chrome)
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences (Firefox)
http://www.opera.com/help/tutorials/security/cookies/ (Opera)
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies (Internet Explorer)
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21411 (Safari); and
https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10-microsoft-edge-and-privacy (Edge).
Please note that blocking cookies may have a negative impact on the functions of many websites, including our Sites. Some features of the Sites may cease to be available to you.
Interest-Based Advertising
We publish interest-based advertisements on the Site; that is, ads that are tailored to reflect your interests. To help understand your interests, Google, Beehiiv, Mighty Networks, and our other advertising partners will track your behavior on our website and on other websites across the Internet using cookies.
By using this Site, you consent to the use of such cookies and the sharing of data captured by such cookies with Google and our other third party partners. You can view, delete or add interest categories associated with your browser by visiting: https://adssettings.google.com.
You can also opt out of the network cookie using those settings or using the Network Advertising Initiative’s multi-cookie opt-out mechanism at: http://optout.networkadvertising.org. However, these opt-out mechanisms themselves use cookies, and if you clear the cookies from your browser your opt-out will not be maintained.
For European Economic Area Residents
If you reside in a country in the European Economic Area (EEA), then under the GDPR and applicable data protection laws you have the rights, among other things, to access your personal data, have us erase it, and/or restrict its further processing. If you wish to see a list of the advertising partners we work with or change which of those partners track your behavior using cookies, click the ad preferences icon. (Available in the EU).
Email Addresses
We may collect your email address, but only if you voluntarily provide it to us. This may occur, for example, if you sign up to receive an email newsletter or free or membership products from the Sites. We will use your email address for the purposes for which you provided it to us, and also from time to time to send you emails regarding the Sites or other products or services that we believe may be of interest to you. You may opt out of such email communications at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” button in the email.
Your email address may also be shared with the technology providers we use in connection with the purposes for which you provided it, and that technology provider may also contact you from time to time.
If you are a resident of a country in the European Economic Area (EEA), please refer to the section below entitled “Additional Rights of EEA Residents.”
Account Data
We strive to offer our visitors the many advantages of Internet technology and to provide an interactive and personalized experience. We may use Personally Identifiable Information (your name, e-mail address, street address, telephone number, etc.) subject to the terms of this Policy. We will never sell, barter, or rent your email address or other personal information to any unauthorized third party.
How we gather information from users
How we collect and store information depends on the page you are visiting, the activities in which you elect to participate, and the services provided. For example, you may be asked to provide information when you register for access to certain portions of our Sites or request certain features, such as newsletters or when you make a purchase or join with a membership. You may provide information when you participate in interactive areas of our site. Like most Web sites, our Sites also collect information automatically and through the use of electronic tools that may be transparent to our visitors. For example, we may log the name of your Internet Service Provider or use cookie technology to recognize you and hold information from your visit. Among other things, the cookie may store your user name and authentication information, sparing you from having to re-enter that information each time you visit, or may control the number of times you encounter a particular advertisement while visiting our site. As we adopt additional technology, we may also gather information through other means.
What we do with the information we collect
Like other Web publishers, we collect information to enhance your visit and deliver more individualized content and advertising. We respect your privacy.
Aggregated Information (information that does not personally identify you) may be used in many ways. For example, we may combine information about your usage patterns with similar information obtained from other users to help enhance our site and services (e.g., to learn which pages are visited most or what features are most attractive). Aggregated Information may occasionally be shared with our advertisers and business partners. Again, this information does not include any Personally Identifiable Information about you or allow anyone to identify you individually.
We may use Personally Identifiable Information collected on our Sites to communicate with you about your registration and customization preferences; our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy; services and products offered by us, and other topics we think you might find of interest. Personally Identifiable Information collected by our Sites may also be used for other purposes, including but not limited to site administration, troubleshooting, processing of e-commerce transactions, administration of sweepstakes and contests, and other communications with you. Certain third parties who provide technical support for the operation of our site (our Web hosting service, for example) may access such information. We will use your information only as permitted by law. In addition, from time to time as we continue to develop our business, we may sell, buy, merge or partner with other companies or businesses. In such transactions, user information may be among the transferred assets. We may also disclose your information in response to a court order, at other times when we believe we are reasonably required to do so by law, in connection with the collection of amounts you may owe to us, and/or to law enforcement authorities whenever we deem it appropriate or necessary. Please note we may not provide you with notice prior to disclosure in such cases.
We post customer testimonials and content including customers and members on our Sites. This content and/or these testimonials may contain personally identifiable information, such as the customer’s name. We obtain the customer’s consent prior to posting the content. With testimonials, the customer can ask for their testimonial to be updated or revised at any time by contacting us.
If you are a resident of a country in the European Economic Area (EEA), please refer to the section below entitled “Additional Rights of EEA Residents.”
Transactional Data
We may process information relating to transactions, including purchases of goods and services, that you enter into with us and/or through our Site (“Transactional Data“). The Transactional Data may include your contact details, your card details and the transaction details. The transaction data may be processed for the purpose of supplying the purchased goods and services and keeping proper records of those transactions. Payment processing on our Site is handled by our payment services provider Stripe, via our Network/Membership Platform Mighty Networks and our charitable giving platform GiveButter. We will share transaction data with our payment services provider only to the extent necessary for the purposes of processing your payments, refunding such payments and dealing with complaints and queries relating to such payments and refunds. You can find information about the payment services provider's and the membership and charitable giving service providers’ privacy policies and practices at https://stripe.com, https://www.mightynetworks.com/, and https://givebutter.com/.
Affiliated sites, linked sites and advertisements
We expect our partners, advertisers and affiliates to respect the privacy of our users. Be aware, however, that third parties, including our partners, advertisers, affiliates and other content providers accessible through our site, may have their own privacy and data collection policies and practices. For example, during your visit to our site you may link to, or view as part of a frame on Site pages, certain content that is actually created or hosted by a third party. Also, through our Sites you may be introduced to, or be able to access, information, Web sites, features, contests or sweepstakes offered by other parties. We are not responsible for the actions or policies of such third parties. You should check the applicable privacy policies of those third parties when providing information on a feature or page operated by a third party.
While on our site, our advertisers, promotional partners or other third parties may use cookies or other technology to attempt to identify some of your preferences or retrieve information about you. For example, some of our advertising is served by third parties and may include cookies that enable the advertiser to determine whether you have seen a particular advertisement before. Other features available on our site may offer services operated by third parties and may use cookies or other technology to gather information. We do not control the use of this technology by third parties or the resulting information, and are not responsible for any actions or policies of such third parties.
You should also be aware that if you voluntarily disclose Personally Identifiable Information on member network profiles, message boards, chat areas, or other membership areas, that information can be viewed publicly and can be collected and used by third parties without our knowledge and may result in unsolicited messages from other individuals or third parties. Such activities are beyond the control of the Company and this policy.
Content Responsibility & Ownership
You acknowledge that all text, images, video, audio-visual content, documentation, materials and other content (collectively “Content”), is the sole responsibility of the party from whom such Content originated. This means that you, and not Company, are entirely responsible for all Content that you upload, post, e-mail, transmit or otherwise make available (“Make Available”) through our Sites and/or Services (“Your Content”), and that you and other Registered Users of our Sites and/or Services, and not the Company, are similarly responsible for all Content that you and they Make Available through our Sites and/or Services (“User Content”).
You acknowledge that the Company has no obligation to pre-screen Content (including, but not limited to, User Content), although the Company reserves the right in its sole discretion to pre-screen, refuse or remove any Content. By entering into the Agreement, you hereby provide your irrevocable consent to such monitoring. You acknowledge and agree that you have no expectation of privacy concerning the transmission of Your Content, including without limitation chat, text, or voice communications. In the event that Company pre-screens, refuses or removes any Content, you acknowledge that the Company will do so for the Company’s benefit, not yours. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company shall have the right to remove any Content that violates the Agreement or is otherwise objectionable.
Unless expressly agreed to by Company in writing elsewhere, the Company has no obligation to store any of Your Content that you Make Available on our Sites and/or Services. Company has no responsibility or liability for the deletion or accuracy of any Content, including Your Content; the failure to store, transmit or receive transmission of Content; or the security, privacy, storage, or transmission of other communications originating with or involving use of our Sites and/or Services.
Except with respect to Your Content and User Content, you agree that the Company and its suppliers own all rights, title and interest in our Sites and/or Services. You will not remove, alter or obscure any copyright, trademark, service mark or other proprietary rights notices incorporated in or accompanying any of our Sites and/or Services.
Subject to any applicable account settings that you select, you grant Company a fully paid, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive and fully sublicensable right (including any moral rights) and license to use, license, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publicly perform, and publicly display Your Content (in whole or in part) for the purposes of operating and providing Company Properties to you and to our other Registered Users. Please remember that other Registered Users may search for, see, use, modify and reproduce any of Your Content that you submit to any “public” area of our Sites and/or Services. You warrant that the holder of any worldwide intellectual property right, including moral rights, in Your Content, has completely and effectively waived all such rights and validly and irrevocably granted to you the right to grant the license stated above. You agree that you, not Company, are responsible for all of Your Content that you make available on or in our Sites and/or Services. Any Content posted by you in your profile may not contain nudity, violence, sexually explicit, or offensive subject matter as determined by the Company in its sole discretion. You may not post or submit for print services a photograph of another person without that person’s permission.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, by submitting Your Content to any forums, comments, or any other area on our Sites and/or Services, you hereby expressly permit us to identify you by your username (which may be a pseudonym) as the contributor of Your Content in any publication in any form, media or technology now known or later developed in connection with Your Content.
You are solely responsible for your interactions with other Registered Users and any other parties with whom you interact; provided, however, that the Company reserves the right, but has no obligation, to intercede in such disputes. You agree that the Company will not be responsible for any liability incurred as the result of such interactions.
Our Sites & Services may contain User Content provided by other Registered Users. The Company is not responsible for and does not control User Content. The Company has no obligation to review or monitor, and does not approve, endorse or make any representations or warranties with respect to, User Content. You use all User Content and interact with other Registered Users at your own risk. Without limiting the foregoing, any medical, emotional or diagnostic information obtained from other Registered Users should only be used for informational purposes, and Users should always use their best judgment in assessing information provided by other Registered Users. Please consult a physician to correctly interpret any information presented by any other Registered User. Never change or stop any course of prescribed treatment without consulting a licensed physician
General Guidance on all Content and Interactions; Right to Revoke Membership
As a company centered on Catholic communities and growing in and living out our Catholic faith together, the general guidance we provide and expect of all Users is to always post, share, view, and interact with all Content, including all Your Content and User Content, in a charitable way, seeking to further God’s grace and Kingdom in the world.
The Company reserves the right to revoke membership, without notice and without refund where appropriate, now and in the future, and cease interactions with User(s) who persistently, and with charitable feedback, do not abide by this general guidance.
In all things: Is it good, true, and beautiful? Is it helpful? Is it charitable? Does it further God’s kingdom and our mutual growth in faith? Does it show due respect to Mother Church and her authorities, teaching, and Magisterium?
Security
We maintain security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, misuse, or disclosure. However, no exchange of data over the Internet can be guaranteed as 100% secure. While we make every effort to protect your personal information shared with us through our Sites, you acknowledge that the personal information you voluntarily share with us through our Sites could be accessed or tampered with by a third party. You agree that we are not responsible for any intercepted information shared through our Sites without our knowledge or permission. Additionally, you release us from any and all claims arising out of or related to the use of such intercepted information in any unauthorized manner.
Children
We do not knowingly collect or solicit Personally Identifiable Information from or about children under 13 except as permitted by law. If we discover we have received any information from a child under 13 in violation of this policy, we will delete that information immediately. If you believe we have any information from or about anyone under 13, please contact us at this address: Michael Halbrook, PO Box 43, Granite City, IL 62040
Additional Rights OF EEA (European Economic Area) Residents
If you are a resident of a country in the EEA, you have the rights, among others, to:
(i) access your personal data
(ii) ensure the accuracy of your personal data
(iii) have us delete your personal data
(iv) restrict further processing of your personal data, and
(v) complain to a supervisory authority in your country of residence in the event that data is misused.
If you believe that our processing of your personal information infringes data protection laws, you have a legal right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority responsible for data protection. You may do so in the EU member state of your residence, your place of work, or the place of the alleged infringement.
You may exercise any of your rights in relation to your personal data by written notice to us addressed to the following: Michael Halbrook, PO Box 43, Granite City, IL 62040. Or via email at [email protected].
FTC Earnings Disclaimer
You should assume that if you click on any link on our Sites and/or Services at any time, we may receive benefits via referral or other similar programs.
Changes to this Policy
We reserve the right to change this policy at any time. Please check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of our site following the posting of changes to these terms will mean you accept those changes. Information collected prior to the time any change is posted will be used according to the rules and laws that applied at the time the information was collected.
Governing Law
This policy and the use of these Sites are governed by Illinois law. If a dispute arises under this Policy we agree to first try to resolve it with the help of a mutually agreed-upon mediator in the State of Illinois. Any costs and fees other than attorney fees associated with the mediation will be shared equally by each of us.
If it proves impossible to arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution through mediation, we agree to submit the dispute to binding arbitration in the State of Illinois, under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitration may be entered in any court with jurisdiction to do so.
The Company is controlled, operated and administered within the State of Illinois. This statement and the policies outlined herein are not intended to and do not create any contractual or other legal rights in or on behalf of any party.
Contacting Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, or the practices of this Site, please contact us at:
Emmaus Disciples, c/o Michael Halbrook, PO Box 43, Granite City, IL 62040, or via email at [email protected].
Updated November 26, 2025