1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 2026 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 develop the congregation’s capacity to integrate worship and discipleship by exploring story and narrative in the contexts of scripture, worship, and daily life.
To nurture the creative and communicative gifts of the clergy by involving them in a poetry and preaching course.
To more deeply experience the healing power of the gospel by developing interactive, arts-infused worship experiences.
To sustain the rich legacy of Africana worship in diverse US contexts and to revitalize these prophetic communities through a leadership training program.
To promote vibrant, multilingual worship through a multicultural preaching and worship lab that will form, equip, and unite two diverse congregations.
To learn about Black sacred music and its ecumenical history and future by facilitating lectures and the study of hymns by a number of congregations and a campus ministry.
To foster contemplative spirituality and to cultivate emerging leaders by equipping high school-aged Choral Scholars to lead Evensong services.
To strengthen congregational participation, formation, and belonging by spending a year studying, designing, and practicing intergenerational worship.
To equip lay and ordained preachers with practical tools and theological understanding to empower them to be innovative, inclusive, creative, confident, and spiritually attuned worship leaders and pastors.
To engage multilingual lay preachers from several congregations in a yearlong preaching workshop to strengthen their pastoral skills, expand kingdom impact in their communities, and cultivate sustainable leadership across diverse congregations.
To strengthen worship leadership by implementing a leadership development project consisting of workshops, mentoring, and worship celebrations.
To equip rural pastors and worship leaders by providing training and building networks for support and creative exchange.
