1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2025 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 advance the development of lay worship leadership in a multicultural setting by training lay leaders, creating a model for worship leadership training that can be applied in other multicultural settings and offering congregational workshops on worship.
To develop skills of listening, training and creating in order to design meaningful worship for the “Millennial generation.”
To cultivate an environment that will empower students to explore and discover authentic forms of liturgical expression and sacred worship through visits to other worshiping communities, workshops, retreats, and mentors who train students in various aspects of leading worship.
To offer worship workshops for member of the congregation, train worship leaders, and identify and create new expressions of worship in multicultural, urban ministry through partnership with neighboring congregations.
To achieve a clearer and deeper understanding of the aim, purpose, and components of worship services by developing worship leadership within the congregation and introducing the congregation to new music, forms of prayers, and liturgy.
To train Asian and Anglo Americans of all ages to better plan, lead, and participate in a newly established multicultural, multigenerational worship service through discussion groups, liturgical art, retreats, and a conference.
To train and encourage clergy and lay leaders in African-American churches by offering a four-day conference on worship and a pre-conference study related to worship for those who will be attending the conference.
To create litanies, choral readings, and scripture dramas to facilitate the dramatic nature of worship through the collaboration of lay theologians and artists of all ages within the congregation.
To deepen the understanding and practice of healing as a part of worship life in a community surrounded by large institutions dedicated to healing and health, through forums, workshops, retreats, and worship experiences for lay leaders and congregation members and weekly healing services for the community.
To develop a deeper understanding about the theology and practice of worship, educate and train worship leaders from the church’s diverse membership, and explore ways art can enhance the multicultural worship experience in an urban setting.
To explore the shifting cultural contexts of worship and to identify a theology of worship that is rooted in the past and open to the future, through a yearlong consultation on worship leadership with student leaders of the Hastings College Chapel and local pastors, musicians, and lay leaders.
To study hospitality as a model for worship and missions through workshops and Bible studies with members of the three congregations who worship in the same sanctuary: Jan Hus, Indonesian Presbyterian Church, and St. John’s Independent Catholic Community.
