1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 2025 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
CICW has awarded Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants for over 20 years to teacher-scholars and worshiping communities in 45+ states and provinces and across 40+ denominations and traditions—including Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, non-denominational, and other Protestant communities.
While worship styles and practices vary greatly across these traditions, the grant projects typically explore at least one of CICW’s ten core convictions related to worship. Explore the hundreds of projects we’ve funded across both streams of the program.
Anna Mercedes
To build the capacity of worshiping communities to be formed as peacemakers and to move through conflict transformatively through the development of restorative justice practices for use in worship.
Kent Burreson
To help worshiping communities respond thoughtfully to contemporary Christian worship by bringing the study of Martin Luther's writings on worship and the sacraments into dialogue with modern cultural engagement with worship.
To encourage greater lay participation in worship leadership by coaching musicians and equipping congregants to share about their faith journeys in worship.
Angela Yarber
To create a worship planning resource for the Revised Common Lectionary that includes justice-centered exegesis, musical suggestions, prayers and rituals contributed by ministers from marginalized groups.
To strengthen ecumenical relationships and spiritual formation opportunities in a culturally and linguistically diverse student body through the development of a regular Taizé service on campus.
To study and develop trauma-informed worship practices in order to provide hospitality, healing, and home to those who have been harmed by the church.
To empower lay leaders for the ministry of proclamation and encourage a diversity of voices in the pulpit by developing a lay preacher training program.
To deepen theological identity across diverse ages and ethnicities by implementing an Acts 2:42 project focused on engaging God’s Word, building community, and praying together.
To promote intergenerational faith formation by teaching about baptism, communion, and the Christian year.
To connect faith to action through cycles of education and reflection, liturgical creativity, and discipleship practices that aim to address homelessness and hunger.
To develop student worship leaders through education and coaching and to foster opportunities for students to participate in multiple church models, both off campus in local congregations and on campus in student-led services and monthly church feasts.
To minister to survivors of sexual abuse through an arts-based storytelling project and worship services designed to honor pain and foster healing and through training for church leaders in trauma-informed care.
