1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 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 connect generations and strengthen community by launching a community choir that will integrate spiritual formation with musical practice.
To live into a theology of singing as sacramental presence by reflecting on the history of communal singing, practicing embodied and paperless singing, developing new song leaders, and composing new songs.
To deepen theological identity across diverse ages and ethnicities by implementing an Acts 2:42 project focused on engaging God’s Word, building community, and praying together.
To promote unity, shared discipleship, and renewed vitality in congregational life through intergenerational creation and leading of worship using labs, story circles, mentoring, and shared worship services.
To deepen congregational fellowship and theological understanding of the Lord’s Supper through intergenerational study, shared meals, artistic expression, and service.
To equip worshipers to identify, develop, and use their spiritual gifts in worship through training, reflection, and active participation.
To engage the spiritual disciplines in worship in order to promote spiritual flourishing for the seminary community as well as nearby community churches.
To encourage meditation and spiritual disciplines that will help congregants center themselves on God and deepen practices of embodied engagement.
To create space for healing from loneliness and for development of community through creative worship practices, including concerts, community dinners, art exhibitions, and discussion groups.
Cory Hixon
To help church pastors and lay leaders strengthen their theology of work, specifically in STEM, to better serve congregants who work in these fields and to help them see their work as an act of worship.
To increase disability awareness and belonging in partner churches by providing resources and strategies for promoting the welcome and inclusion of Christians of all abilities in worshiping communities.
To engage congregants and the community in worship experiences outside of traditional Sunday services through workshops and small-group worship experiences that incorporate music and the visual and performing arts.
