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 explore how Christ is proclaimed and remembered in the context of the weekly Lord’s Supper liturgy through study and workshops that will train an intergenerational scripture reading team and the congregation so that speaking and hearing scripture will deepen the observance of communion.
To partner with local congregations by offering “hands-on” experiences in the visual arts as a means for artists and congregations to study and respond to the Creation Psalms.
To equip church musicians and worship leaders in a geographical area where church leaders often feel isolated by offering a day long gathering for training and discussion, book study groups sharing their learning throughout the year and a final gathering to celebrate what has been learned.
To examine how songs, prayers and sermons point worshipers to God through quarterly workshops which include historic hymns and catechisms to educate the congregation and leaders in other congregations.
To equip members of the congregation to plan and lead worship by offering workshops, retreats, and opportunities for congregational reflection as they explore what jazz worship means to the multi-cultural, multi-generational congregation.
To encourage the full, active and conscious engagement of youth in public worship and to create bilingual resources in collaboration with the National Federation of Youth Ministers (NFCYM) that will promote liturgy as the heart of Christian life.
To develop new patterns and habits of worship through study and workshops to teach about worship that is inclusive of the cultures and generations which reflects the diversity that is growing within the congregation.
To study the Psalms and Vertical Habits through sermons, prayers, music, the arts, study and memorization to help the congregation and neighboring churches grow as places of hospitable community and encouragement.
To explore the intersection of the arts and worship through workshops on the visual arts, music, dance, drama and spoken word in partnership with an ecumenical group of four congregations and to implement the learning in the worship life of each of the congregations.
To create and blend interpretive text, choreographed movement and music in worship and to assist an intergenerational worshiping community to understand and own the theological basis and significance of innovative liturgies through book studies, workshops and the incorporation of new liturgies throughout the church year.
To engage the congregation in a study of the Lord’s Supper through drama, storytelling, art and music that will shape worshipers in understanding how the table nourishes and equips to address the physical and spiritual hunger in the community and the world.
To engage a growing, diverse congregation in singing the Psalms in order to promote confident, prayerful Psalm singing at home and in worship that will give them tools to understand themselves as an important voice in the story of scripture rooted in baptismal identity.
