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.

Education/Leadership
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Worshiping Communities Education/Leadership

Alamance Presbyterian Church

To cultivate wonder and gratitude for God and creation, to deeply engage lay people in scriptural interpretation, and to empower new leaders within the church by learning and contemplating worship and growing in creative expressions of worship.

Worshiping Communities
Greensboro, north carolina
2024
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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 Education/Leadership

Cooperative Christian Ministry in Higher Education, Inc.

To develop skilled, confident, and energetic student worship leaders through a comprehensive worship leadership development initiative.

Worshiping Communities
Charlotte, north carolina
2024
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Worshiping Communities Education/Leadership Preaching

Faith Mennonite Church

To equip lay leaders by hosting workshops that broaden understanding of what preaching can be in an intergenerational and hybrid worship context in order to expand leaders’ repertoire of meaningful ways of engaging with scripture to facilitate spiritual growth.

Worshiping Communities
Leamington, ontario
2024
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Worshiping Communities Education/Leadership

Fuller Seminary, Center for Asian American Theology and Ministry

To deepen the capacity of Asian American pastors for worship and congregational leadership in their cultural contexts by offering a nine-month learning cohort for pastors.

Worshiping Communities
Pasadena, california
2024
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Teacher-Scholar Justice Education/Leadership

Fuller Theological Seminary

Jennifer Ackerman

To study the impact arts-based training encouraging curiosity, creativity, and courage has on pastoral leadership to increase pastors' capacity to lead vibrant, justice-oriented communities of worship.

Teacher-Scholar
Pasedena, california
2024
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Worshiping Communities Education/Leadership Formation

Fuller Theological Seminary: Division of Formation

To equip leaders to create a pilgrimage experience in their own context by together engaging the embodied experience of pilgrimage and developing worship resources for their communities out of that experience.

Worshiping Communities
Pasadena, california
2024
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Worshiping Communities Education/Leadership

General Education Department of the United Holy Church of America, Inc.

To enrich the theological understanding of worship in the United Holy Church of America and encourage African American worship leaders by hosting monthly virtual workshops and an in-person conference.

Worshiping Communities
Burlington, north carolina
2024
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Worshiping Communities Education/Leadership Preaching

Gregory Ministries DBA Proclaimers Place

To provide continued education related to sermon writing for a cohort of African American preachers through seminars and virtual gatherings that build group solidarity, support, and accountability.  

Worshiping Communities
Waco, texas
2024
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