1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 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 engage the congregation and community in a study of the Old Testament story of Noah and to create art that will deepen relationships and tell the story in ways that will connect Sunday worship and daily life.
To immerse the congregation in activities that will encourage worshipers to pray and reflect on the effects of prayer through the Psalms, prayers for healing, drumming circles, embodied prayer and to use the written prayers of the community in worship.
To teach the congregation global, bilingual songs using the Vertical Habits of worship that will develop a pattern of intergenerational and multicultural worship and reflect the diversity of the congregation and the community.
To engage in a study of the relationship of liturgy, music, and space that will encourage worshipers to consider the biblical and theological rationale behind elements of worship and worship space and create a more God-honoring and formative worship environment in a culturally and generationally diverse congregation.
To offer workshops and learning opportunities for local congregations who seek to explore insights and practices such as contemplative prayer, meditation, simplicity and silence (re)discovered by the emerging church movement.
To study liturgy past and present that will lead to more deliberate worship planning resulting in a new understanding of God's character, nature and work in a young and growing congregation which meets in two locations.
To engage the congregation in learning about the important foundational elements of Christian worship with a focus on children who make up a large percentage of the congregation.
To explore diverse traditions, stories and artistic expressions with children, youth and adults who represent multiple cultures, socioeconomic class and denominational traditions and incorporate the learning into worship.
To deepen a relationship between two congregations in a cooperative parish through worship, study, fellowship, and liturgical arts focused on gathering as a community around the Lord’s Table.
To explore the role and meaning of visual symbols in worship and incorporate them as a catalyst for other types of expression through intergenerational learning experiences that will build a vocabulary of faith.
To engage college students with the congregation in a process of creating intergenerational worship that includes new voices in planning and leading worship.
To initiate avenues for teens and young adults to become involved in planning and leading worship for a growing multicultural congregation.
