Congratulations New Executive Director Barb!
On behalf of the Board of Directors of ELCIC Group Services, Inc., I am pleased to announce that Barb Fortier has been appointed as the Executive Director of GSI, effective April 1, 2025.
Barb holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree and has served as the pension and benefits administrator with GSI for nearly twenty years. Her experience at GSI and her expertise will serve her well in this new role as Executive Director.
Please join me in welcoming Barb to her new position.
Words Matter: Thanks and Farewell
Throughout my career, continuing professional development has always been important to me. I value learning about new tools that I can use to make my work more efficient and/or effective for what I am trying to achieve. Even if I don’t learn something completely new, I usually get a new perspective that provides a greater understanding. I have always found that attending a class or going to a conference adds new interest to my work and brings greater imagination to possibilities. For me, it also supports my mental health because I am doing something proactive.
For these reasons I was pleased to hear that the Continuing Education Plan (CEP) would be part of my compensation package when I was first hired. As I look back, I am thankful for the financial resources and the hours allotted to me as I have gained so much and in doing so, hope that you, the Plan Members, have benefited from my ongoing learning.
While I have learned many financial and technical things over the years, I think one of the most important lessons I have learned is that words matter. The words we chose have an impact. Continued learning has made me more aware of my surrounding environment and enabled to read the context of the situation. I strive to chose my words wisely.
In one of the sessions that I attended a few years ago we were given a long list of descriptive words, maybe over 100. Our assignment was to select the top four words that we thought were most important to us in describing our personal character and something that we wanted others to recognize in us. We went through an exercise of discussing what some of them meant, ranking them, and reflecting. Without the benefit of a pick list, consider what your words might be. I would like to share my four words with you:
Integrity … Respect … Competency … Curiosity
I hope that in my time here in the ELCIC, I have demonstrated these qualities. I wish the incoming Executive Director and team at GSI all the very best of times.
Thanks to all the GSI directors who I have worked with over the years and in particular John Wolff, who served as GSI President/Board Chair and my ‘boss’ for most of my tenure. And to the Plan Members… it has been my absolute pleasure to serve you, I will miss seeing you at the Synod gatherings. Take care and be well.
Making a Claim to your Health Care Spending Account
The Manulife Member Site typically opens to a page with your recent claims. The screenshot below shows what you may see and gives you the opportunity to use your Health Care Spending Account after the claim was adjudicated.
We have been advised that this button only works intermittently. If you don’t get a confirmation number or the claim isn’t paid within 5 to 7 working days, you will need to resubmit it under the Submit a Claim button and choose my Health Care Spending Account only
New Year, New Continuing Education Experiences!
If you are like me in that at the beginning of each new year, you start to think about and investigate new continuing education experiences to add to your calendar for the year. I have to admit that I kind of feel a bit lost or ungrounded when I don’t have something planned for the year.
I love having something to look forward to! What is the course or the event that I want to make sure I don’t miss out on for this year? What are some of my growing edges that I want to take the time and energy to invest in for my further learning? What parts of the ministry that God has called me to would benefit from deeper learning?
It can be a challenge to fit continuing education experiences into our busy personal and work lives. I think that’s why I like to plan out my con ed at the beginning of the year – so that I get it in my calendar early and then plan other pieces of life around it.
So, what are you looking to do this year? Send me an email so I know! I would love to highlight new and different con ed learning experiences here in this space so let me know what you are up to!
And I’ll let you know what I’m planning for this year!
Visiting a Dietitian
March is Nutrition month, and the Dietitians of Canada have announced this year’s theme as Nourish to Flourish.
During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. A great way to get started is to meet with a dietitian.
What is a Dietitian?
Dietitians coach you through diet and lifestyle changes as you work to achieve your healthy eating goals or work to manage disease. They can help you with label reading, grocery shopping, and saving money at the grocery store.
What Coverage Do I Have?
Your benefits plan includes coverage for consulting a dietitian. Here are the annual amounts per module:
- Blue 60% up to $300
- Green 70% up to $400
- Teal 80% up to $500
Note that only Registered Dietitians are covered by the ELCIC Group Benefits Plan.
When Might a Person Want to Visit A Dietitian?
Dietitians can provide useful guidance to anyone who wants to learn more about how dietary changes could benefit them.
Here are some examples:
- someone who is newly diagnosed with an intolerance to gluten or with a food allergy could learn how to eat a nutritionally balanced diet while avoiding the food that is causing issues
- a person wanting to lose weight could consult a dietitian to develop a meal plan that suits their individual palate while reducing calories
- a dietitian could help someone experiencing acid reflux to identify trigger foods and suggest alternatives
- a person with Type 2 diabetes who hopes to reduce reliance on medication could work with a dietitian to identify nutritional strategies to achieve that
You can also see a dietitian when you’re ready to make some changes towards a healthier lifestyle but aren’t sure how to do that most productively.
How Can I Get Started?
Dietitians of Canada has a website that can help you to find a professional near you with the particular expertise you are looking for. Here is a link to the Find a Dietitian page on their website.
Your MFAP plan through Kii CloudMD also offers diet and nutrition counselling.
Webinar: Sleep and Insomnia
Description: Good quality sleep is essential for our physical health, mental health, and how we function day-to-day. And yet, despite its importance, sleep can often feel elusive. Join CloudMD this month to learn how to build better sleep, including tips on how to navigate temporary sleep disruptions, how to recognize different sleep conditions that might require more support, and how to help your body produce restorative, restful sleep. Participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to build better nights for brighter days.
Ask an Expert Question / Concern:
“I just went through a really stressful time, and it’s completely thrown my sleep off. Things have finally calmed down a bit, but I’m still struggling to fall asleep at night and waking up feeling cranky and exhausted. How can I get my sleep back on track?”
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Time: 12:00 – 12:30 PM ET
We welcome your questions & feedback!
please write to us: admin@elcicgsi.ca
or call toll free: 1-877-352-4247 (in Winnipeg 204-984-9181)
information and resources can also be found on the GSI website