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.
Avon Lake United Church of Christ
To strengthen youth ministry and worship through youth interns who will learn about worship, participate in worship planning and leading, and develop intergenerational relationships throughout the congregation.
Azusa Pacific University
To promote a reciprocal relationship between scholarship and service by incorporating congregation-based service-learning experiences into the worship curriculum.
Belmont University
To reflect on worship in a university setting by nurturing the practices of prayer, reflecting on possibilities for a new chapel space, and exposing students to local church leaders and various worship traditions.
Bridge Street AME Church
To bring together multiple generations to plan liturgies that connect Sunday worship to daily life and to enhance the liturgy through artistic interpretations of scripture.
Campus Chapel of Ann Arbor
To incorporate visual arts and video into campus worship in a theologically thoughtful and culturally sensitive way through community conversations and learning events.
Celestial Church of Christ Emmanuel Parish
To explore a deeper understanding of the sacrament of Holy Communion and Washing of the Feet in a year-long ecumenical learning program with another congregation.
Central Presbyterian Church
To develop a year-long emphasis on all ages living in the presence of God in worship by encouraging deeper participation in scripture, sacraments, prayer, and the arts.
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
To implement a year-long series of congregation-wide learning events about worship and to anchor the congregation's identity and ministries in its worship life.
Christian Theological Seminary
To encourage the development of arts ministries and the incorporation of a variety of arts in worship as a regular liturgical practice of the community.
Church of All Nations
To facilitate a multicultural ministry of reconciliation in worship and life together by engaging Native American history through storytelling and theological reflection that promotes understanding, healing, justice and reconciliation.
Concordia University College of Alberta
To promote deeper understanding and skill for musical worship leaders through learning opportunities related to global traditions and congregational song, following the pattern of the Christian year.
Encompass World Partners
To address the shame and trauma of refugee Christians by collaborating with leaders from various refugee congregations to create indigenous expressions of worship that praise God for deliverance from shame.