1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 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 expand participation in worship for disparate communities by developing a common musical repertoire, writing new music, and theologically reflecting on music's role in worship.
To shape the language, prayer, and song of a worshiping community by composing new songs based on a deepened engagement with the Psalms, informed by their use in various faith traditions.
To immerse children from varied religious backgrounds in reflection on worship practices by engaging them in music composition, singing, liturgy writing, and Scripture reading, and to expose adults to the worship styles and traditions of those children.
To deepen members’ experience of the holiness of God by exploring how various art forms can strengthen liturgical participation.
To frame communal hymn singing as a spiritual discipline in order to increase worshipers’ awareness of God.
To expand an understanding of corporate worship as a means of God’s grace and spiritual formation by practicing worship habits using the arts.
To work with congregations to celebrate and teach the richness of diverse singing practices that deepen community life and connection with God.
To increase worshipers' experience of the beauty of God by training leaders in Byzantine Orthodox Chant and Iconography.
To encourage members to experience the glory and beauty of God as expressed in creation and in creative playful activities that help them experience joy in worship and in the world around them.
To provide training, internships, and experiences of liturgical music from various traditions and cultures to high school students with potential to be future liturgical pastoral ministers.
To collaborate with another church to explore worship for diverse ages, cultures and lifestyles, and foster a rich heritage of intergenerational worship practices.
To connect two different churches that use the same site by bringing them into worship together on feast and fast days, using music as a bridge to promote wholeness and healing.
