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.

Liturgy
Select Year
Select State/Province

First Congregational Church of Webster Groves

To enliven worship through the arts, especially jazz, and environmental awareness to discover the wonder and joy of being stewards of God's creation. 

Worshiping Communities
St. Louis, missouri
2020

First Congregational Church, New London

To deeply engage scripture in worship through prayer stations that explore the history, theology, spirituality, and justice elements of the weekly scripture text. 

Worshiping Communities
New London, connecticut
2020

Light of Hope Presbyterian Church (2020)

To explore contextual methods of proclamation in a dinner and spirituality service that facilitates deeper participation of the community in worship.

Worshiping Communities
Marietta, georgia
2020

New Hope Presbyterian Church

To nurture community within the congregation and the neighborhood by promoting active participation in worship through the arts and the preached Word. 

Worshiping Communities
Orange, california
2020

Serenity the Prince of Peace Church of God In Christ

To create a consortium of young adults who will be trained and mentored to design and execute a monthly ecumenical, multicultural, and multigenerational worship gathering.

Worshiping Communities
Indianapolis, indiana
2020

St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church

To initiate a contemplative worship service that uses participatory and sensually rich gestures, silence, and Celtic music in order to cultivate worshipers’ imagination of God. 

Worshiping Communities
Dahlonega, georgia
2020

The Road Church

To explore ways the worshiping community’s values can be embodied in communal worship practices that shape worshipers' engagement with God, one another, and God’s world.

Worshiping Communities
Calgary, alberta
2020

Trinity United Methodist Church

To train worshipers in improvisational theater techniques in order to create a variety of worship experiences that facilitate intergenerational participation in worship. 

Worshiping Communities
Milford, ohio
2020

Wake Forest Baptist Church (WFBC)

To pilot an interactive worship experience that fosters practices of justice, stewardship, and vocational exploration, and facilitates personal and communal encountering of God. 

Worshiping Communities
Winston-Salem, north carolina
2020