Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Announces Grant Recipients
The Worship Renewal Grants program of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, in Grand Rapids, Mich., supports grassroots, long-term learning in congregations. This year, the program's twelfth, CICW will award more than $400,000 to support a variety of worship renewal projects in 37 churches and organizations across North America.
Renewing worship takes many forms and is unique in every congregation. Engaging the congregation in a year long process that helps worshipers of all ages learn new words and music to help them pray, lament, confess and give thanks can bring renewal that is deep and long lasting. Renewal in worship can be contagious and strengthen other areas of ministry in a congregation.
The Worship Renewal Grants program of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), in Grand Rapids, Mich., supports this kind of grassroots, long-term learning in congregations. This year, the program's twelfth, CICW will award more than $400,000 to support a variety of worship renewal projects in 37 churches and organizations across North America.
"These projects have much to teach us about how prayerful, resourceful leaders in a remarkable variety of contexts are thinking about the needs of the church and opportunities for ministry," says CICW director John Witvliet. "We are eager to learn from them."
A church in Georgia will offer quarterly workshops which will include historic hymns and catechisms for the congregation and leaders in other churches to examine how songs, prayers and sermons point worshipers to God. A Presbytery in Iowa will engage youth in leadership training that will help them lead worship in congregations throughout the Presbytery. Ecumenical worship services and discussions will deepen ecumenical partnerships among churches who worship on an Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
These are just some of the creative projects that will be funded in 2011. For a complete list of this year’s grant recipients and summaries of their projects, see the Grants section of the CICW website, worship.calvin.edu.
For 2011 grant recipients, learning begins in earnest this June when project directors gather at Calvin College to dialogue with 2010 recipients and CICW staff.
“This ecumenical gathering of church leaders provides an opportunity for learning and conversation that encourages and provides resources for worship renewal,” says Betty Grit, Program Manager of the Worship Renewal Grants Program.
This year, CICW received proposals from 18 denominations and 28 states and 2 Canadian provinces. An advisory board of pastors and teachers from a variety of backgrounds assisted in the grant selection.
Grant recipients for 2011 represent congregations and schools from 14 denominations in 19 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
The Worship Renewal Grants Program is generously supported by Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. Founded in 1937, the Endowment’s major areas of concern are community development, education, and religion.
The next application deadline for the Worship Renewal Grants Program is January 10, 2012. For an overview of the grants program and information about the application process, see the Grants section of the CICW website, worship.calvin.edu.