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 explore using drama in worship for biblical proclamation through studying scripture texts, discussing communication methods, and partnering with local congregations.
To increase congregational participation and knowledge of worship through the incorporation of the arts and the development of a worship planning team.
To develop ecumenical and intergenerational worship services that integrate Scripture, silence, and music with a world perspective and to accompany this service with theological reflection on its application for daily living.
To train worship leaders in music, arts and drama through workshops and the experience of implementing a series of services that focus on spiritual formation through worship.
To study and discuss with a group of local pastors the development of worship practices that combine emerging worship with Reformed theology, with a particular focus on the sacraments.
To explore how Biblical psalms can and should be used in corporate worship and private devotion in order to aid the church in singing, worshiping, and praying well.
To discuss the theological foundations of worship renewal and strategies for forming congregations around them as a peer learning group of local Baptist ministers and church leaders.
To study the history, theology and practice of worship in an ecumenical partnership with six congregations and to plan a combined worship service that demonstrates some of the discoveries from the yearlong study.
To create ongoing inter-church planning teams that reflect on the lectionary and develop metaphors to use in visual media for worship.
To enhance participation in the celebration of the sacraments and prayer services both in school and local parishes through providing music and liturgical training for children and youth, their teachers, music directors, principals and pastors.
To offer weekly worship services based on the 12 steps of addiction recovery that integrates scripture, confession and absolution, testimony, healing liturgy and public prayer in two urban churches.
To link artist, theologian and worshiper in faith conversation and theological reflection that acknowledges art as a language with power to strengthen spiritual formation and results in the creation of art for worship.
