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 offer an inter-disciplinary, ecumenical symposium on the history and theology of artistic expression in worship, to host a course entitled “Worship for the Church in the 21st Century;” and to sponsor a retreat for the purpose of developing a cross-cultural theology of worship.
To identify the most important spiritual needs of adolescents in residential treatment programs, to develop worship utilizing music, art, drama and design which addresses those needs, and to develop a training module for staff and volunteers who lead worship in residential treatment settings.
To create contextually appropriate worship opportunities for African American young adults through the training of young leaders and the development of a Praise Dance Ministry.
To offer monthly worship services which utilize Light into the World: Hope for a New Day, a bluegrass setting of the Lutheran liturgy with all original music by a young composer, Kent Gustavson, to train volunteer musicians and to lead workshops both locally and nationally to share what they have learned.
To challenge and support the 89 Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations of northern
To seek new models of worship which provide a theological framework of multicultural worship in an urban context by offering Multicultural Worship Festivals and a worship conference.
To collaborate with three small, rural churches to create a series of twelve banners, each representing and interpreting an element of worship. Work group members will research and study the theological meaning of each element of worship, collaborate to create a visual representation of that meaning, construct the banner and write narratives interpreting their symbolism so that the banners can be incorporated into worship.
To develop multi-sensory experiences to help worshipers more deeply understand and experience the sacrament of Communion.
To train students in leading congregational singing, presenting liturgy and Scripture and performing drama during services.
To offer symposiums in worship planning, music, art, liturgy and drama for high school students and faculty who seek to plan and lead worship that is richly African-American and authentically Christian.
To enhance the accessibility of the preaching of the word to worshipers of all ages through the use of drama, visual arts, music, and puppets and to design a children’s bulletin that encourages active listening.
To establish new Summer Worship, Arts, and Music Camps which will give children the opportunity to gain an understanding of the structure of worship, skills in leading various aspects of worship, experience with various worship-related arts, and occasions for preparing brief worship services.
