1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 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.
To explore the concept of “Ancient-Future” worship and implement what has been learned in a new worship service that is intended to help the congregation stay true to its Reformed roots, understand and enjoy the blessings of connecting to the historic Christian Church and offer a service that will be intelligible to the nonbeliever while being theologically rich and meaningful to Christians.
To engage the congregation in learning about the importance of intergenerational worship through book studies, retreats and workshops and by connecting adult worship leaders with youth worship leaders in active mentoring relationships to bring the generations together in worship, serving, sharing and learning.
To initiate study and experimentation into the theology of worship space and worship hospitality that will inform anticipated renovations to the worship space so that they are done with theological integrity, artistic and architectural excellence and sensitivity to the needs of the worshiping community.
To provide a series of workshops, discussions and special activities on worship that engage children, teens, campus, singles, married, Spanish and mature ministries and lead to deeper participation in singing, scripture reading, prayer, Communion, baptism, small group participation and becoming mission focused to reach out to their neighbors.
To facilitate a study of drama, art, music and dance that will immerse the congregation in the fullness of worship, ground them in their faith, strengthen them as a community and equip them in their calling to reach out to their community.
To create opportunities for the congregation to cultivate a culture of story-telling – exploring new ways to tell and listen to scriptural narratives, and finding linkages between scriptural narratives and our individual life journeys – by engaging in movement, puppets, theater, poetry and integrating this creativity into the worship life of the church.
To engage the congregation in small group studies, a retreat and workshops that focus on scripture reading, the Liturgical Calendar, music and the Sacraments that will encourage deeper participation and understanding of worship for all ages.
To facilitate conversations and learning about worship through congregational roundtable discussions and workshops that will lead to greater participation in worship in a large, growing, socially, culturally, economically and educationally diverse, multigenerational congregation.
To empower adolescents to study the Bible, explore their faith, find their voice, grow as leaders and strengthen their relationships to their pastors and churches while giving tools to teachers and pastors to learn about faith formation so that they are better able to shepherd students through adolescence.
To dwell in the Psalms as the yearly chapel theme that will include book studies, guest speakers and a Psalmfest with the expectation that a new understanding of the breadth and depth of the Psalms will result in greater and fuller worship participation using drama, music and visual arts in an ethnically and denominationally diverse K-12 school.
To engage students and faculty mentors in a year-long process to plan monthly chapel services, engage in theological and practical reflection on previous services and study broader issues related to worship through book discussion and guest-led workshops that will strengthen congregational singing, increase use of culturally/globally diverse liturgical resources and engagement with the whole person through multi-sensory worship practices.
To offer three intergenerational “Psalm Plunges” that will provide space to look at the Psalms intentionally through lectures, worship and working together on songs, art projects, new lyrics for old hymns, liturgical elements, prayers, sentences, poems and other creativity inspired by the Psalms to help the congregation become more aware of how and why we worship as we do.
