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.
St Paul United Church of Christ, North College Hill
To engage the congregation in learning about the role of drama, liturgical dance and media through seminars, small groups and deep exposure to Biblical story that will create worship that is healing for people who have been oppressed and without hope in a community that has experienced turmoil. Poster available after June 2013.
The King’s University College
To explore the role of drama in worship that will help the community more fully engage in God’s Story by offering discussion book groups, mentoring, guest teachers and workshops and will lead to increased understanding of how the classroom intersects with faith.
First Presbyterian Church
To create and blend interpretive text, choreographed movement and music in worship and to assist an intergenerational worshiping community to understand and own the theological basis and significance of innovative liturgies through book studies, workshops and the incorporation of new liturgies throughout the church year.
Angel Community Church
To explore the role of culture in Christian worship through a series of workshops on the use and creation of visual art, dance, and drama that engages the congregation in a dialogue about what it means to be both Reformed and African-American.
Reformed Church of Highland Park
To engage the congregation and community in a study of the Old Testament story of Noah and to create art that will deepen relationships and tell the story in ways that will connect Sunday worship and daily life.
First Congregational Church of Webster Groves, United Church of Christ
To connect two diverse congregations in a collaborative effort to build community, transform space and inspire worship through the incorporation of visual arts into liturgy and the worship space.
Maple Avenue Ministries
To study and reflect on the nature of worship and the use of visual and dramatic arts, music, poetry and liturgy in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper in order to break barriers of perceived differences in age, race, ethnicity, theology, accustomed worship style and socio-economic status.
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church of Iowa City
To explore using drama in worship for biblical proclamation through studying scripture texts, discussing communication methods, and partnering with local congregations.
Friends of the Groom
To equip five congregations to incorporate Vertical Habits into their worship life by offering workshops that combine theater, scripture, personal/theological reflection and worship traditions and by providing follow-up meetings and a newsletter that will create community, support and an exchange of ideas among the participating churches.
Grace Christian Reformed Church
To introduce liturgical dance and movement into worship in their racially, economically and educationally diverse urban congregation.
Bethel Lutheran Church
To create contextually appropriate worship opportunities for African American young adults through the training of young leaders and the development of a Praise Dance Ministry.
Campus Chapel of Ann Arbor
To train students in leading congregational singing, presenting liturgy and Scripture and performing drama during services.