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 partner with three Seattle congregations in exploring how new, creative, relevant music, text, and art can help people pray more honestly, engage more deeply with one another and address the needs of the community.
To produce a multi-dimensional worship curriculum of small group sessions, individual study guides, and training for small group facilitators through a collaboration with the Lexington District of the United Methodist Church.
To plan intergenerational worship services as small, rural congregations that combine historical and contemporary worship traditions through music, biblical storytelling, liturgical art, and contemplative methods.
To deepen corporate confession and lament during services in Advent and Lent with images, music and movement.
To study a biblical perspective on worship through a series of workshops for worship leaders and local congregations with small group follow-up and implementation in individual congregations.
To develop worship resources and support for prisoners in both understanding and participating in worship by forming relationships between six West Michigan congregations (CRC and RCA) and worshiping communities in prisons.
To encourage deeper participation in the worship of prison congregations by teaching prisoners how to develop drama, lament, prayer, poetry, and music.
To strengthen prayer, worship, and evangelism through a weekly worship service of healing, monthly times of fellowship, study and discussion, and a workshop for church leaders.
To contextualize a Reformed theology of worship in the Hispanic/Latino community through biblical study and practice in music, arts, dance and drama.
To create a sense of narrative, memory, and time by focusing on the practices of lectio divina, prayer, study, and service through a series of workshops and collaborative projects on using word and image in worship.
To increase cultural awareness and communication among diverse community groups through a collaborative focus of local churches on diversity, hospitality, liturgical space, drama, music, and dance.
To create resources for those unable to worship with the gathered Sunday congregation through a collaborative study of church history, ecclesiology, and liturgy.
