Walk the

journey together

The Call to Grow-Applying as a Cohort Member

Application Deadline, July 15 2026

The Bridge to Ministry cohort is a three-year commitment designed to provide consistent, meaningful accompaniment through the earliest and most formative seasons of ordained ministry. Each cohort is made up of 6–8 clergy who journey together through monthly online gatherings and a three-day in-person retreat each year.

This rhythm allows trust to deepen, relationships to form, and real learning to unfold over time—not just in moments, but across the arc of your early ministry.

Each cohort is guided by a trained and experienced facilitator who offers structure, wisdom, and gentle leadership, while honoring the deep learning that happens when peers reflect together. Facilitators do not provide supervision or evaluation; instead, they create a hospitable and thoughtful space where new clergy can listen, share, and grow alongside one another.

Participants learn not only from the facilitator, but from the lived experience, questions, and insights of their fellow cohort members. The result is a community of practice—one that supports spiritual grounding, vocational clarity, and sustainable ministry through shared wisdom and mutual care.

Applying to Bridge to Ministry is an invitation to invest in yourself, your calling, and a community that will walk with you through the holy and hard first years of pastoral leadership.

Eligibility

Participants must:

  • Be a graduate of an accredited Seminary or Divinity School

  • Within the first three years of ministry

  • Currently serve as a congregational minister or pastoral resident

  • Be in good standing within their denomination

  • Be willing to commit to monthly virtual gatherings and the annual retreat (2026 Retreat will take place at Mo Ranch in Texas, August 26-29)

  • Ministers from all denominations are welcome

PARTICIPANT APPLICATION

Our Cohort Facilitators for 2026

Rev. Matt Falco

Rev. Matt has served as the pastor of Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Kentucky since 2016. Originally from Altoona, Pennsylvania, he is a 2010 graduate of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and also holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Penn State University, where he worked in the field prior to entering ministry. Matt enjoys backpacking and has led wilderness trips across the country with his family. He and his wife, Lauren, are the parents of two sons, Lucas and Jonah. He brings a reflective, steady leadership style shaped by both engineering problem-solving and pastoral ministry.
Cohort Facilitator

Rev. Cindy Mood

Rev. Cindy Mood is a pastor, facilitator, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor (LCSW-S) serving in the Houston area. She is currently Interim Pastor of New Hope Presbyterian Church, where she has helped guide the congregation through significant transition, visioning, and growth. Cindy brings a diverse ministry background shaped by congregational leadership, group facilitation, disability advocacy, community engagement, and systems-informed pastoral care. She is known for her innovative spirit and compassionate leadership, and is passionate about helping communities navigate change with courage, creativity, and hope.
Cohort Facilitator 
Cohort Faciliator

Rev. Michael Gable

Rev. Michael Gable is a graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary and a second-career pastor serving a medium-sized rural church in Angleton, Texas. As a solo pastor, he is grateful that no two days of ministry look the same. He is the husband of Shelly and father of a daughter, Ellen Kay. In his spare time, Michael enjoys reading, gardening, handy work, and most things nerd-related. He brings a grounded, practical, and warm pastoral presence to his ministry and facilitation.
Cohort facilitator

Rev. Monica Smith

Rev. Monica Thompson Smith serves First Presbyterian Church in Giddings, Texas, a small rural congregation that recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Since her ordination in 2000, she has served churches throughout Mission Presbytery, including in San Antonio and Luling, as pastor and guest preacher. She has also worked with congregations and pastors through the Presbytery’s Commission on Ministry and served as Temporary General Presbyter. Monica is married to Rev. Andy Smith, pastor of New Life Methodist Church in La Grange, and they have two daughters in high school. Outside of ministry, she enjoys horseback riding lessons, hiking, and reading. Her ministry advice is simple: “Love the people.”