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.

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Fuller Theological Seminary

Jennifer Ackerman

To study the impact arts-based training encouraging curiosity, creativity, and courage has on pastoral leadership to increase pastors' capacity to lead vibrant, justice-oriented communities of worship.

Teacher-Scholar
Pasedena, california
2024

Fuller Theological Seminary

Matthew Kaemingk

To create a handbook that will provide leaders with a host of songs, prayers, blessings, sample worship services, sermon topics, and guides for small-group discussion to equip pastors and worship leaders with practical ideas, advice, and resources to lead effective worship for workers.

Teacher-Scholar
Pasedena, california
2024

Fuller Theological Seminary: Division of Formation

To equip leaders to create a pilgrimage experience in their own context by together engaging the embodied experience of pilgrimage and developing worship resources for their communities out of that experience.

Worshiping Communities
Pasadena, california
2024

General Education Department of the United Holy Church of America, Inc.

To enrich the theological understanding of worship in the United Holy Church of America and encourage African American worship leaders by hosting monthly virtual workshops and an in-person conference.

Worshiping Communities
Burlington, north carolina
2024

Grace and St John's Episcopal Church

To strengthen public worship and witness by building capacity in the music ministry, instituting a public worship event, and creating an outdoor mural.

Worshiping Communities
New Haven, connecticut
2024

Greater Baltimore Church of Christ (2024)

To enhance spiritual connection among all age groups by creating generationally diverse worship teams, educating worship leaders about inclusive worship, and using intergenerational teams to plan worship and develop new liturgical resources.

Worshiping Communities
Catonsville, maryland
2024

Greater Good News Church Of God In Christ

To engage children in worship and promote intergenerational worship by giving children opportunities to lead elements of worship and by equipping pastors to preach about children in the Bible.

Worshiping Communities
Los Angeles, california
2024

Grunewald Guild

To develop a cohort of artists that will affect the worshiping communities the artists belong to by exploring the sacred through creating visual art for worship together in online gatherings and an in-person retreat.

Worshiping Communities
Leavenworth, washington
2024

Holy Cross Lutheran Church (2024)

To invite worshipers into the depth and richness of God’s promises by weaving liturgy with the arts through collaborations with local artists for Advent, Lenten, Holy Week, and Pentecost services and through the development and dissemination of artistically inspired service plans.

Worshiping Communities
St. Louis, missouri
2024

Howard University School of Divinity

Harold Dean Trulear

To explore and disseminate best practices for shaping and sustaining a Christian social justice witness through corporate worship.

Teacher-Scholar
Washington, district of columbia
2024