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.
United Theological Seminary
To offer workshops and learning opportunities for local congregations who seek to explore insights and practices such as contemplative prayer, meditation, simplicity and silence (re)discovered by the emerging church movement.
Vintage21 Church
To study liturgy past and present that will lead to more deliberate worship planning resulting in a new understanding of God's character, nature and work in a young and growing congregation which meets in two locations.
Wakefield United Methodist Church
To engage the congregation in learning about the important foundational elements of Christian worship with a focus on children who make up a large percentage of the congregation.
Washington Community Fellowship
To explore diverse traditions, stories and artistic expressions with children, youth and adults who represent multiple cultures, socioeconomic class and denominational traditions and incorporate the learning into worship.
Westminster Presbyterian Church
To deepen a relationship between two congregations in a cooperative parish through worship, study, fellowship, and liturgical arts focused on gathering as a community around the Lord’s Table.
American Lutheran Church
To explore the role and meaning of visual symbols in worship and incorporate them as a catalyst for other types of expression through intergenerational learning experiences that will build a vocabulary of faith.
Arlington Congregational Church
To engage college students with the congregation in a process of creating intergenerational worship that includes new voices in planning and leading worship.
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
To initiate avenues for teens and young adults to become involved in planning and leading worship for a growing multicultural congregation.
Beckwith Hills Christian Reformed Church
To engage the congregation in a study of the liturgical seasons and creation of visual arts that will guide worshipers throughout the year.
Bobby Dodd Institute
To develop a process that brings together clergy and people with disabilities to create a model of inclusive worship in six area congregations.
Brent House
To create worship liturgies that connect classic Christian texts and secular artistic, literary, and philosophical works in collaboration with local congregations and campus ministries.
Bridge Street AME Church
To explore creative uses of media and the arts in order to engage youth and encourage collaboration between youth and adults in planning worship.