1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 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.
To offer workshops for clergy, lay leaders, musicians and youth from 26 churches on the Scriptural principles for worship and the use of visual and performing arts in worship services.
To create visual materials for worship and develop skills in worship and music leaders for integrating contemporary and traditional hymnody in university-oriented congregations.
To introduce a broad spectrum of worship experiences including a variety of music styles, Word-centered worship forms, special services, interracial worship and a worship retreat for a congregation which includes many college and seminary students.
To institute a series of three cantatas to reaffirm the music and worship values of the congregation, provide a rallying point for evangelism and serve as a stimulus for the development of musical skills of adults and youth.
To create and implement campus worship services using a process that facilitates communication between students and faculty, integrates clerical and student/lay leaders in ministry and achieves a deeper understanding of the biblical foundations for worship.
To sponsor an arts conference to broaden the experience of the arts in worship in southern Ontario churches by actively involving conference participants in the process of developing the arts for worship.
To establish an independent, interdenominational Pacific Islanders Worship Arts Institute which will help Hawaiian churches embrace worship that celebrates Pacific island culture and honors the integrity of the Christian faith.
To educate individuals who lead worship and music in their churches on the practical aspects of leading worship and music in a church setting and the theological foundation of worship.
To initiate the Leadership Program for Musicians Serving Small Congregations to prepare persons to be capable and confident musical leaders.
To create an urban school of worship for teenagers, which will develop individual worship leaders and musicians and forge them into teams to lead worship for teen peers on Friday nights, for smaller children on Saturday and for supporting churches on Sunday.
To support a conference on programs to integrate worship, evangelism, hospitality, and small group ministries in the process of welcoming new members to a congregation.
To train teams from 10 target congregations on the catechumenate model which includes scripture reading, prayer, mentoring, mission and welcoming new Christians.
