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.

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Accessibility
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Teacher-Scholar Accessibility

Princeton Theological Seminary

Erin Raffety

To equip worshiping communities to recognize and lift up leaders with disabilities in church contexts by working with Christian leaders to model inclusive leadership practices.

Teacher-Scholar
Princeton, new jersey
2025
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Worshiping Communities Accessibility Worship Practices

Redeemed Christian Church of God Strong Tower Parish

To support the worship of people with dementia and varied disabilities by collaborating with neighboring churches to host workshops that encourage and develop accessible, sensory-friendly worship practices. 

Worshiping Communities
Minneapolis, minnesota
2025
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Worshiping Communities Accessibility Education/Leadership

Allisonville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

To develop more inclusive worship practices by first learning about the needs and desires ofthose often excluded from worship and the obstacles they often face, and to then initiate new worship practices.

Worshiping Communities
Indianapolis, indiana
2024
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Worshiping Communities Accessibility

Christ First Church

To encourage greater accessibility and inclusivity in worship through providing support, education, and resources for families and church leaders affected by disability.   

Worshiping Communities
Lafayette, georgia
2024
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Teacher-Scholar Accessibility

Samford University

Amanda Howard

To identify challenges faced by individuals with sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) during worship services, to investigate strategies for self-regulation, and to evaluate support programs offered by worshiping communities, in order to create a resource guide for worshiping communities to better include people with SPS during religious services.

Teacher-Scholar
Birmingham, alabama
2024
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Worshiping Communities Accessibility Education/Leadership

St. Joseph United Methodist Church

To create an expression of worship that increases authenticity, reduces barriers, and provides diverse forms of music and speech by engaging in interviews, focus groups, and team studies that expand theological and aesthetic understanding of worship.

Worshiping Communities
Fort Wayne, indiana
2024
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Worshiping Communities Accessibility Multicultural

Storyline Community

To deepen a sense of belonging for all members of an increasingly diverse worshiping community by creating trauma-informed, accessible, and contextual music and worship practices and by developing diverse and often marginalized leaders. 

Worshiping Communities
Milwaukie, oregon
2024
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Worshiping Communities Accessibility Music

The Gayton Kirk

To enhance and build upon the nontraditional Jazz Vespers service to offer innovative and radical welcome for in-person and virtual attendees to experience healing and hope.

Worshiping Communities
Henrico, virginia
2024
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Worshiping Communities Accessibility

Saint Pius X Catholic Church

To promote a community that moves from inclusion to belonging for congregants with intellectual disabilities and their families by reducing barriers to full participation and forming the congregation to actively welcome everyone made in God’s image.

Worshiping Communities
Granger, indiana
2023
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