1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Local Psalm Festivals
Wisdom in the Age of AI
Discerning faithful and responsible use of AI in education, church, business, health care, and the arts
Cultural Values in Ministry—October 2026
Developed in partnership with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Calvin University School of Graduate and Continuing Studies, this online course equips worship planners and leaders of all types of ministries with practical tools for relating well to people from a variety of cultures. Understanding and respecting cultural differences is key to a healthy ministry.
2027 Calvin Symposium on Worship
The Calvin Symposium on Worship is a conference for worshipers, pastors, artists, musicians, scholars, students, ministry leaders, and more. As an ecumenical gathering, the Symposium creates space for Christians to worship, learn, and connect with people from many cultures, contexts, and Christian traditions from across the country and around the world.
The Joe R. Engle Organ Concert and Psalm Festival will feature a wide range of repertoire drawn from the book of Psalms including a commissioned choral anthem based on Psalm 46 and composed by Eurydice Osterman entitled “Be Still and Know That I Am God.” Evelyn Simpson-Curenton will improvise an organ work based on Psalm 116, “I Love the Lord.” Organists Eric Wall and Ahreum Han Congdon will present organ works exploring the depth and breadth of the Psalter. And guest conductor, Brandon Boyd, will lead the Seminary Chapel Choir and audience in singing.
Are you interested in applying for a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching grant? Join us for this free webinar catered toward new or prospective applicants to learn more about the program and participate in a live Q&A.
An application-based summer seminar directed by Carmen Joy Imes.
Carmen Imes has spent the past fifteen years immersed in the book of Exodus, writing about it for both her master’s thesis and her doctoral dissertation. She’s also written articles, books, and other resources for laypeople exploring this Old Testament book, including Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, Illustrated Exodus in Hebrew, and Encounter God in Exodus. Her commentary on Exodus for Baker Academic is expected to be published in 2027. In this lecture, Imes will share some of the most paradigm-shifting insights she’s had while reading Exodus through an Egyptian lens.
An application-based summer seminar directed by Robert Chao Romero.
“Deconstruction” is a popular term among young people who grew up in the Christian church. In this public lecture, Robert Chao Romero will consider the challenge of widespread deconstruction while offering a hopeful path forward. Expanding on Phyllis Tickle’s analogy of the church having a rummage sale of ideas every few centuries, Romero invites us to consider the contributions of Latina/o theology and the history of the Brown Church as valuable resources for reconstruction on the other side of deconstruction.
