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
Select Year
Select State/Province

The Gathering

To train worship leaders in music, arts and drama through workshops and the experience of implementing a series of services that focus on spiritual formation through worship.

Worshiping Communities
Sacramento, california
2007

Union University

To explore how Biblical psalms can and should be used in corporate worship and private devotion in order to aid the church in singing, worshiping, and praying well.

Worshiping Communities
Jackson, tennessee
2007

Valley Baptist Ministers Conference

To discuss the theological foundations of worship renewal and strategies for forming congregations around them as a peer learning group of local Baptist ministers and church leaders.

Worshiping Communities
Cincinnati, ohio
2007

Wollaston Congregational Church

To study the history, theology and practice of worship in an ecumenical partnership with six congregations and to plan a combined worship service that demonstrates some of the discoveries from the yearlong study.

Worshiping Communities
Wollaston, massachusetts
2007

Amazing Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

To offer weekly worship services based on the 12 steps of addiction recovery that integrates scripture, confession and absolution, testimony, healing liturgy and public prayer in two urban churches.

Worshiping Communities
Baltimore, maryland
2006

Asociación para la Educación Teológica Hispana

To share the wealth of worship materials with deep roots in Hispanic culture and traditions and to promote critical theological reflection on these materials by bringing together Hispanic worship leaders from multiple denominations for study and worship.

Worshiping Communities
Austin, texas
2006

Believers Christian Fellowship Church

To provide lunchtime and after work worship services and classes on Wall Street and in Harlem which encourage active participation of worshipers in reading scripture and leading worship and music through a multi-ethnic, multi-discipline collaborative effort.

Worshiping Communities
New York, new york
2006

Candler School of Theology, Emory University

To enhance capacity of students and faculty for reflective liturgical leadership and to promote worship planning and participation as an integral part of theological education at the school.

Worshiping Communities
Atlanta, georgia
2006

Christian Student Foundation

To provide student leaders the skills and experience needed to plan and lead worship services through a leadership retreat, peer mentoring program and workshops.

Worshiping Communities
Muncie, indiana
2006

Church of the Ascension

To reflect corporately on the meaning and purpose of worship, including worship designed for the emergent sub-culture, through a parish retreat and a diocesan-wide leadership workshop.

Worshiping Communities
Pittsburgh, pennsylvania
2006