wfn.org | ELCA's Computer Systems Will Be Y2K Compliant

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 15, 1998

ELCA'S COMPUTER SYSTEMS WILL BE Y2K COMPLIANT 
98-CC2-05-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The primary business computer systems of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are Year 2000 (Y2K) date
compliant, said Ken F. Aicher, director of the ELCA's Department for
Information Technology, in his report Nov. 15 to the ELCA's Church Council. 
The primary business systems include finance reports, clergy and
congregation rosters, endowment and gift donor data.
     The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the
legislative authority of the church between meetings of the ELCA's
Churchwide Assembly.  The council is meeting here Nov. 13-16.  Assemblies
are held every other year; the next is August 16-22 in Denver.
     A computer application "system-readiness test," using a January 2000
test date, was completed Aug. 15.  All applications were date and
calculation tested.  A second test will be done in May 1999.
     "Every office in our system is confronted with the Y2K problem," said
Aicher.  Our cost will be minimal, since most of our purchased software is
2000 compliant.  Aicher anticipates a cost of $70,000, not including staff
time, for continued system upgrades.
     Software upgrades to the ELCA's local and wide area networks are 95
percent complete and will be compliant by the end of this month.  Desktop
computer Y2K upgrades to 406 personal computers represent the most time-consuming task but the least business risk in the project, said Aicher. 
Those systems are scheduled for completion in March 1999.
     "The church's role is to inform and advise," said Aicher.  The ELCA's
Internet web page -- http://www.elca.org/it/y2k.html -- provides
information for congregations about the Y2K problem.
     "Internally, we're in great shape," said Forrest Bedke, ELCA director
for management services, in his report to the Church Council.  Heating and
air conditioning systems were brought up to compliance at the Lutheran
Center, the ELCA's churchwide office building here.
     Building services include an upgrade to the 911 emergency and
telephone voice mail systems by February 1999.  The elevators at the
Lutheran Center use a computer system that does not rely on dates.
     All systems at the Lutheran Center are supported by electricity, said
Bedke.  His primary concern is the distribution of power.  Outside vendors
that provide electrical power to the Lutheran Center will be in compliance
late next year, which does not leave a large margin of time for error.

For information contact:
Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Director (773) 380-2955 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html