TheLeader VOLUME XXVI ISSUE1 Winter2025 - Flipbook - Page 28
G R A N T S
A team of four outstanding ECM Cohort Coaches is led
by ECM Cohort Coordinator, Alexis Pappas, who
succeeded Dr. Athanasia Kostakis, who completed her
service to ECM in February 2024.
Current ECM Team:
Alexis Pappas – ECM Cohort Coordinator Nicolas Al
Khoury – ECM Coach
Angela Ferreira – ECM Coach Sarah Ickes – ECM Coach
Peter Savas – ECM Coach
The Coaches have been trained extensively in the
principles of ECM, team building, interpersonal
relationships, conflict management/resolution, and
many more skills that assist in their work with their
parish teams. They also come to ECM with a deep
commitment to Christ’s Church, a deep love and sense of
responsibility for the youth and young adults of our
parishes, as well as the ministry leaders who are tasked
with the spiritual formation of those young people.
During the last Cohort season, Cohort materials were
improved and used to coach, train, and guide the
parishes as they work to develop more effective ministry
to young people. In addition, the ECM website
(www.effectivechristianministry.com) was updated to
ensure that it is user-friendly for those who are
interested in ECM, to prepare for the future Cohorts,
and to reflect some of the changes and growth of ECM.
Finally, the ECM Cohort program is continually
reviewed in its entirety and evaluated as to what is
necessary to ensure that ECM is sustainable for longterm parish support.
The goal of ministry is to lead people to Christ and teach
them to live out their relationship with the Lord in the
Church. While it is incredibly difficult to assess the
effectiveness of a ministry, ECM focuses on two basic
metrics to gauge the success of the ECM Cohort:
attendance and feedback. Eventually, a third metric is
added: effect on parish ministries.
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AT
W O R K
To gauge the success and efficacy of the ECM Cohort,
surveys are issued throughout the Cohort. The 2023
end-of-the-year survey and focus groups revealed that
the program has made positive changes after the
feedback from past surveys. Participants felt more
prepared and confident in the application and potential
impact of the Cohort. According to this survey, 95% of
survey respondents agreed that the principles and
practices covered in the ECM Cohort were relevant to
their parish’s needs – a beginning to an incredible
journey of ministry transformation. In addition, the
survey results show that the ECM Cohort is creating
stronger, more cohesive ministry teams on a parish level
to lead the effective and transformative ministries that
ECM seeks to cultivate through its program.
As of June 2024, remaining funds of $93,071 will be
utilized for the operation of the 2024-2025 Cohort
season. Expenses include: the ongoing work of the ECM
Cohort Coordinator and Coaches, graphic designer,
video editor, securing of a Cohort Teachable platform
subscription, securing of quality Summit/Webinar guest
speakers, hosting of Online Information Sessions, and
the operation of a multi-week ECM Watch Club
program.
The 2025-2026 Cohort is being prepared and new
relationships with clergy and parish youth workers who
have expressed an interest are being developed, along
with additional Metropolis partnerships for training
ministry workers in the ECM Level 1 Online Training.
We are working on the following opportunities to
improve participation rates and outcomes for 2025-2026
and beyond.
