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 acquire knowledge about successful techniques for integrating multiply-challenged children into corporate worship, develop and implement a model for training clergy and lay leaders to welcome these children and their families, and help participating parents gain skills and confidence in exploring faith practices with their children.
To develop initiation programs for newcomers, including youth and children, which will include bilingual weekly communion, multicultural music and worship formation, and to partner with Hillsgrove United Methodist Church in multicultural worship celebrations and the exploration of justice and youth ministries.
To explore the use of artistic elements, such as drama and liturgical dance, in worship through a process that will include congregational members of all ages in learning and creating forms of artistic expression for worship.
To offer an inter-disciplinary, ecumenical symposium on the history and theology of artistic expression in worship, to host a course entitled “Worship for the Church in the 21st Century;” and to sponsor a retreat for the purpose of developing a cross-cultural theology of worship.
To challenge and support the 89 Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations of northern
To organize a training, discipleship, and spiritual development program for local worship leaders which will gather worship leaders, pastors, artists, and presenters for monthly retreats to engage in prayer, song, theological/ministry reflection, learning, and artistic creation.
To encourage worship leaders to become more deeply rooted in historical expressions of biblical worship while engaging today’s culture through a conference designed to equip worship leaders.
To train worship leaders in liturgical dance, visual arts, drama, music, and liturgical environment through a series of educational workshops.
To commission a new cantata which will contain elements from the classical Lutheran tradition, integrate the cantata into worship and offer an educational series for the congregation.
To educate, equip, and support lay leaders in rural settings in order that the life of the church might continue to be blessed with excellent and meaningful liturgy, music, prayer, homilies, and sacramental ministry.
To enhance the worship of small member congregations in a liturgical tradition through seminars connecting experts in worship and congregational life with pastors, leaders, and members of these congregations.
To provide an intensive training for liturgical leaders of the diverse minorities of the Catholic community through the Liturgical Institute of the Southwest.
