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 reflect on shared practices of prayer and service among pastors and church leaders and to provide for a series of on-site consultations to identify and strengthen pilot churches who are intentionally seeking to connect sacramental practices with mission and service commitments.
To train and form local liturgical leaders through a process of learning, and applying that learning by designing, implementing and evaluating a parish liturgy project and writing a theological reflection paper integrating what they learned with their story, the story of their parish communities and the story of God’s love for us.
To develop a two-week formation program for clergy and laity to probe the connection between Jesus' death and resurrection and the practice of worship and prayer, and the connection between worship and daily living.
To establish partnerships between visual artists and church congregations by engaging in the study and development of a theology of worship that includes the visual arts, offering workshops to link artists with the needs of congregations and creating residencies for artists to work with church members to develop art for worship.
To create an ecumenical team of liturgists who will mentor local parishes/congregations to reflect upon and develop their ritual focus, proclamation of the Word of God, preaching, clarity of the sacraments, music, architecture, art, and hospitality.
To train and inspire clergy and lay leaders through national music, worship and staff development sessions for the purpose of developing innovative worship practices that affirm theology and music to promote the gospel message.
To develop a chapel program that reflects Reformed perspectives on worship by creating an environment conducive to communal worship, training student worship leaders in the history and theology of Reformed worship, developing their leadership skills, educating the college community on the deeper meaning and purpose of worship, and implementing ways that students can apply their knowledge of worship to impact both the college community and the surrounding community.
To gather a team from each of the ministry areas of the church to plan worship services and create take-home sheets to encourage worshipers to make Vertical Habits a part of their living in a practical and tangible way.
To train students to be effective worship leaders in chapel and other worship opportunities through a Worship Training Seminar Series for the purpose of focusing the community’s vision on worship that is both spiritually vital and theologically rooted, having integrity and relevance.
To encourage and enable Native Americans to worship God in an authentic indigenous way through a process that will include learning and offering a workshop to other churches and the community.
To engage college students through revitalization of a chapel program using the strengths of the liberal arts college—literature, poetry, studio art, music, theater, and dance—by providing instruction, inspiration, collaboration and materials for college students to connect their academic artistic endeavors with the worship life of the college chapel.
To encounter and practice Vertical Habits as a significant part of spiritual formation through an interactive art exhibit, a month-long devotional written by church leaders and a lecture series taught by pastors from the church or local community.
