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 partner with other small congregations to explore the ways congregational song can help worshipers grow by connecting music in church and at home.
To create visual art for worship that communicates the core values of the church by training and equipping artists in the congregation through lectures, study and devotional resources.
To engage adults and children in exploring music and liturgical art in worship through an intergenerational, multi-sensory all-church retreat and monthly workshops.
To create collaboration between church, school and the home by focusing each month on one Vertical Habit in sermons, daily devotions, curriculum, special activities and chapel that will engage children and adults.
To explore Old Testament worship in light of New Testament themes and to probe its implications for a variety of worship practices including cross cultural relationships and the arts.
To develop skills and opportunities for artistic expression of scripture that will connect to sermons through lectures and educational workshops.
To incorporate visual arts in the worship space and liturgy of a small, urban church plant.
To explore how an emerging Mennonite Congregation can more deeply incorporate the Lord's Supper in worship and life through retreats, workshops, and mentoring relationships.
To study and practice ways technology and movement can be integrated in worship while maintaining its historical identity and connecting with postmodern culture.
To engage worship planners from five congregations with seminary staff in a year long learning process that will include theological reflection, dialogue and engagement of the arts.
To partner with three Seattle congregations in exploring how new, creative, relevant music, text, and art can help people pray more honestly, engage more deeply with one another and address the needs of the community.
To produce a multi-dimensional worship curriculum of small group sessions, individual study guides, and training for small group facilitators through a collaboration with the Lexington District of the United Methodist Church.
