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.
Wheaton College
To develop regional locations for the Church Pianists' Institute which provides a biblical perspective on worship, and practical instruction in traditional and contemporary styles of worship for keyboard musicians.
Worship Event (2002)
To sponsor "Igniting Ministry through Worship," three day long sessions and one two-day session for pastors, musicians and lay leaders to increase skills in preparing and leading vital worship.
Worship Net International
To support Worship! Arizona 2002, a grass roots movement of more than 400 worship leaders who gather on a regular basis, including Worship Leaders' Quarterly Breakfasts, worship leadership training seminars and conferences.
Bethel-Bethany UCC
To encourage the use and appreciation of multicultural music and liturgy in the worship services of four Lutheran and Reformed congregations located in a multicultural neighborhood through the development of a congregational/ecumenical model for worship renewal.
College Hill Reformed Presbyterian Church (2001)
To provide a forum for composers working on contemporary renderings of psalm texts and music and to introduce these to worship leaders and the Geneva College worshiping community.
Covenant Presbyterian Church
To create a four-part worship series on the Psalms using the gifts of a contemporary composer, a brass quintet, and adult and youth choirs.
Faith Reformed Church
To formulate a thoughtful and creative interdisciplinary introduction of a new hymnal through worship team leadership, adult church school class, and banners illustrating theological themes of the hymnal
First Christian Reformed Church (2001)
To compose songs based on scripture, catechism, creeds, and the Contemporary Testimony for use in worship
First Covenant Church
To plan worship 2001, a conference for musicians and worship leaders with an emphasis on music
Granite Springs Christian Reformed Church
To conduct a series of five teaching sessions, concluding with a two-day retreat for worship planners and songwriters on the use of Psalms in worship and to compose new psalm settings
Immanuel Presbyterian Church
To support a composer-in-residence program along with an education program on music in worship
Salem United Methodist Church
To fund a one-day conference for hymn writers from Northern Indiana on writing hymns and other songs for worship