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.
First Congregational Church of North Attleborough
To invite painters, woodworkers, sculptors, musicians, graphic artists and photographers of all ages to use their gifts in worship leadership through ongoing study, practice, workshops, and worship experiences.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
To engage in a year long renewal of God's promises in baptism and the book of Revelation through sermons, Bible studies, liturgy and education that will culminate with the Easter Vigil.
New City Church
To research, experience, and reflect on using hip-hop in worship while nurturing urban teenagers as worship leaders.
Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA
To engage leaders of 75 congregations in a deeper understanding and practice of testimony in worship through a workshop, book studies and quarterly discussions.
The Gathering United Methodist Church
To incorporate visual arts in the worship space and liturgy of a small, urban church plant.
Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Lithuanian Catholic Mission
To break prejudices across generations and cultures in a Lithuanian immigrant community through an intentional focus on scripture, the creation of art, and religious instruction.
CLC Network (Christian Learning Center)
To explore ways to make worship accessible for children and adults with disabilities and to recognize and encourage the participation and leadership of those with special needs and gifts through a partnership with eight to ten congregations.
First Presbyterian Church of Altadena
To encourage interaction with scripture and the preached word through journals, lectio divina, prayer, inductive Bible studies, and Asian art with particular attention to unity across ages and cultures in a traditional Japanese American congregation.
First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon
To foster intergenerational participation in weekly worship through the development and integration of the gifts of the entire congregation through visual arts, music, multimedia, and drama.
First Presbyterian Church of Montpelier
To improve preaching and listening skills by forming small worship groups that will participate in Bible study, research for a worship series, planning services, and preparation of devotional materials for the congregation that connect the themes of the worship services with daily life.
The Common Ministry at Washington State University
To develop ecumenical and intergenerational worship services that integrate Scripture, silence, and music with a world perspective and to accompany this service with theological reflection on its application for daily living.
Sandersville United Methodist Church
To discover the rich significance of the Lord’s Supper through participating in guided learning experiences that encourage creative response, such as visual and dance interpretations of Wesley hymns based on the Eucharist.