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 develop workshops at the Cottonwood Pass Bible Conference, an 80-year-old annual gathering for Native American Christians in New Mexico, that will lead to the development of music and visual arts for worship that are Biblical and contextualized with Native American Culture
To offer Worship Alive! Workshop, a series of weekend events designed to educate, equip, and energize worship planners and leaders serving small churches in ten different locations in Utah.
To launch a Summer Institute for Liturgical Studies to enable leaders for worship in the ecumenical and multicultural context of today's American culture, particularly in the Pacific region.
To develop curricular and training materials, courses, workshops, and programs to enhance the musical and theological training of young adults engaged in the leadership of contemporary worship services.
To convene a gathering of pastors and other leaders from three congregations which have similar histories and face similar challenges in renewing their worship while remaining faithful to their heritage.
To plan an event for musicians, ministers, and congregational leaders that will train them in planning and leading worship.
To provide workshops and discussions that will assist the congregation in designing, placing, and dedicating a baptismal font, a table and a pulpit in their new sanctuary.
To begin a two-year educational program for church musicians providing theological reflection on the history, theology, and practice of Christian worship, in addition to developing practical musical skills.
To develop and implement a process in which leaders will be identified, trained, and empowered to develop a drama ministry, including hosting a regional, weekend-long Christians in Theater Arts conference.
To develop excellence in liturgy by training lay worship leaders, including cantors, lectors, adult and children's choirs, by providing days of retreat and reflection, and by educating liturgy and music personnel to use use music software.
To enhance and promote an integrative worship experience in a worshiping community that is bilingual and bicultural, worshiping in both Spanish and English and many diverse styles. Training will be provided for writing and arranging music; liturgies, songs, hymns, and other worship materials will be translated; children's worship will be enhanced and a two-day conference on "integrative worship" will be offered.
To develop comprehensive training in music and liturgical planning for musicians, worship teams and congregations in Hispanic churches.
