myCOTHA
FAQs

General Questions

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What is myCOTHA?

myCOTHA is a web-based system that’s a ‘one-stop-shop’ for finding a Small Group and other groups, registering for all kinds of events, emailing with church friends, giving, updating personal information, meeting serving needs, and more!

Why would I use myCOTHA? What are the benefits to me?
You can:
  • Search for/find Small Groups and other groups
  • Communicate directly with fellow group members
  • Control all personal privacy and communication settings
  • Interact with people in the church by searching the online church directory
  • Register (and pay for, if applicable) church-sponsored events you want to attend
  • Sync the church calendar to your iCal, Outlook, or Google calendar
  • Make an online gift to COTHA from any computer or mobile device
  • View your giving history, pledge commitments, and print off contribution statements anytime
  • View or search the church-wide calendar to find events, meetings, or other activities you’re interested in.
  • Upload files that specifically relate to your groups or access existing files online
  • Update/Edit personal contact information immediately

Is myCOTHA just another form of social media?
Not at all! COTHA has a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/COTHAconnect) for our social media purposes. myCOTHA is our online system to manage our common life together.

How do I request a login?
Click the myCOTHA tab on our webpage, or access it directly at cotha.ccbchurch.com. On the login page, choose “Request Account”, then follow the instructions.

Who is on myCOTHA?
Anyone can request a login, but permissions and privileges will be determined by your status in the church database.

Can I add people to my family in the church database?
Only the church administration can add people to the database. If you would like to have a family member added, please contact the church office at 281.392.3310 or email donna@cotha.org.

Can I edit my own information?
Yes! Once logged in to myCOTHA, click your picture, then select “edit” to update your profile. Here, you can change your address, email, phone number, and much more.

Can a person’s login be revoked?
Yes, if an individual is found to be using the system for inappropriate purposes and continues to do so even after being asked to stop, their login can be revoked. 

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Security and Privacy

 

I’m nervous about putting my information online. How secure is myCOTHA?
Security is of the utmost importance. Your information is secure and well-protected. All giving data is protected by PCI Level 1 Compliance (which, in non-tech talk, means it’s the highest standard available!) The software is used by hundreds of organizations across the U.S.

What if I am a very private person and I’m nervous about putting information into myCOTHA?
It is very important to understand the difference between what you put into myCOTHA and what you choose to share. For the sake of the staff and the administration team, please provide as much information as possible in the system. Maintaining basic contact and demographic information is particularly important. However, from a privacy perspective, once you’ve entered that information, you may choose to display as much or as little of that information to the rest of the church as you choose.

 

Can you explain the privacy setting options?
You have four privacy setting options that “dial” up or down who can see specific pieces of information. These settings can be modified by clicking the ellipsis (…) on your cover photo, then selecting privacy settings. For every piece of information you enter, you can select a privacy setting.

 

1. Everybody: This is the lowest security setting for viewing. If you choose this setting, anyone with a login can see the information you’ve marked for “Everybody.”

2. Friends Only: Fields with this setting can only be viewed by other people with a login who are on your My Friends list. Appropriate church leadership can also view the information.

3. Friends & My Group Members: Fields with this setting can be viewed by members of “members interact” type groups you are involved in, as well as other people with a login who are on your friends list. Appropriate church leadership can also view the information.

4. Church Leadership Only: This is the highest security level for viewing. Fields with this setting can only be viewed by appropriate church leadership (people who have been given additional administrative privileges for the system) 

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Email and Communication

 

Do spouses or family members need separate email addresses to log in?

Yes. Each person must have their own unique email address to log in. This allows each individual to have their own secure access to groups, calendars, event registrations, and communications. Sharing a single login or email address is not supported and can cause confusion with notifications and account access.

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If you and your spouse share one email inbox, you may still be able to use email aliases (for example, name+spouse@email.com) so each person has a unique login while all messages go to the same inbox. This works well with Gmail and many Google Workspace accounts. If aliases are not supported by your email provider, using a second email address is recommended.

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Our team is happy to help you set this up or answer questions.

Why can’t I see a person’s email address?
To help ensure privacy, the email address is hidden from most users on the individual’s profile. You can still send them a message, which will go directly to their inbox and can be replied to like any other email.

What are the policies for emailing others from within myCOTHA?
Please do not send emails that are not necessary or requested, e.g., jokes, stories, or petitions. Use myCOTHA with care and courtesy for personal and friendly communication. Even if it’s interesting, funny, or important, do not send unsolicited information. Any abuse of this email policy should be reported immediately to the church office at info@cotha.org.

Can a user send an email to the whole church?
No.

Can a user email everyone in a group they are a member of?
Yes, unless the group leader has chosen to restrict the group email settings. 

 

Financial

 

Who can see my giving?
Other than you, the only people with access to your giving history are the staff members who enter donations and the master administrator.

My husband and I can see our children’s financial giving; can they see ours?
No. Whoever is listed in myCOTHA as the primary contact, as well as the spouse, can see all financial giving for members in their own family; however, family members cannot see anyone’s financial giving except their own. 

 

Calendars

 

What types of calendars are in myCOTHA?
There are two types of calendars:
1. Your personal calendar (“My Calendar”) shows specific events or meetings for the whole church and your groups.
2. The Campus-Wide calendar shows events happening all over the church.

 

Groups

 

Is every group in myCOTHA viewable?
No. Groups (including Home Groups) designated as unlisted cannot be viewed by basic users in the system; however, you can view them if you are a member of the group.

If I am in a listed group, can people see that I am a member?
No, the only names visible to group participants are the main leader and the assistant leader(s). Other than that, no one can see who is in that group.

 

Ministry Scheduling

 

Are ministries scheduled via myCOTHA
Yes – and No. Most Sunday and Family ministries utilize myCOTHA for scheduling. Specialized areas, such as the Worship Team, are maintained outside myCOTHA.

What ministries are available?
Glad you asked! In your profile, you can let us know your gifts, passions, and skills, so we can match them with available ministries and find the best fit for you! If you’d like more information about this feature, send us an email.

 

We're here to help!

We are here to help! If you run into system issues or have questions about your statement, please contact our Administrator, Donna Matthews, at donna@cotha.org.

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