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 facilitate intergenerational faith formation in worship by creating spaces for learning and collaboration between pastors and lay leaders in ethnically and denominationally diverse congregations.
To unify churches who share a common neighborhood by implementing ecumenical and contextual worship that meets the needs of the community.
To facilitate relationships between Anglo- and African-American churches by fully engaging in one another’s worship experiences and by creating liturgical art together.
To reflect on Scripture and culture in order to compose songs and worship expressions that are fitting to a multicultural urban congregational context.
To identify, disciple, equip, and encourage a group of diverse worship leaders who can implement multicultural worship that reflects the diversity present in the congregation and community.
To cross cultural boundaries between worshiping communities in the city by training and equipping local worship leaders to hospitably lead multicultural worship.
To train leaders to reflect on and engage in the theology and practice of cross cultural worship.
To develop liturgical and sacramental practices that foster an inclusive and just experience of worship for all people.
To equip and encourage leaders to implement new practices in their congregations that express the connection between worship, mission, and discipleship, through exposure to leaders from different continents and ethnicities.
To explore the role of public worship in forming institutional identity by incorporating worship practices that reflect the diversity of the community and its spiritual needs.
To work with congregations to celebrate and teach the richness of diverse singing practices that deepen community life and connection with God.
To foster rich hospitality in worship by gathering disparate groups of students in worship that crosses cultural boundaries.
