NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention is making final preparations for total Y2K compliance with its information systems-related equipment and software.
In a mid-August meeting, key personnel in LifeWay’s finance and business services division reviewed a wide range of areas in which Y2K readiness is critical.
Topics of practical importance to churches and individuals were included in the report, which dealt with many internal operations of the agency as well as its ability to provide ministry resources.
Compliance, for purposes of the LifeWay meeting, was defined as the ability to accept, display and report dates using correct century and year; cross into the year 2000 without automation failure; prevent premature expiration of security, licenses or files due to year 2000 crossover; treat the Year 2000 as a Leap Year; and interface with other year 2000-compliant software and data.
“We anticipate a smooth transition into the year 2000,” said Gerald Shields, director of LifeWay’s information systems department. “Persons who use our automated telephone ordering service and who order through our Internet site (www.lifeway.com) should experience only a brief interruption in service between late Dec. 31 and early Jan. 1 while we intentionally power down all of our systems.”
Shields said information systems personnel will power off devices before midnight on Dec. 31. On Saturday, Jan. 1, personnel will power on devices and verify that all services are working.
Among items reported in the August meeting that apply to many churches and persons in relating to LifeWay are:
— Software providers, equipment providers, primary carriers and secondary carriers critical to the work of the logistics department, which fills and ships orders to churches and individuals, are compliant. All have filed letters with LifeWay to that effect.
— Software and related systems written by LifeWay for its own use are compliant.
— Telephone switches, voice mail and telephone billing are compliant.
— All critical suppliers have provided confirmation of Y2K compliance. Suppliers not confirmed by Oct. 1 will not be used until February 2000, and a replacement vendor will be selected.
Any significant abnormalities affecting LifeWay facilities, such as electrical failure or interruptions in natural gas or water services, will be considered by LifeWay’s executive management regarding return to work on Monday, Jan. 3. Facility operations personnel will be on site at the Nashville complex monitoring electrical integrity over the New Year’s weekend.
