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 share the wealth of worship materials with deep roots in Hispanic culture and traditions and to promote critical theological reflection on these materials by bringing together Hispanic worship leaders from multiple denominations for study and worship.
To provide lunchtime and after work worship services and classes on Wall Street and in Harlem which encourage active participation of worshipers in reading scripture and leading worship and music through a multi-ethnic, multi-discipline collaborative effort.
To explore contemplation, outreach, hospitality, unity and leadership in worship through monthly seminars for the congregation and community.
To enhance capacity of students and faculty for reflective liturgical leadership and to promote worship planning and participation as an integral part of theological education at the school.
To teach children’s choir leaders the history and use of congregational song and how to integrate children into worship leadership by partnering nationally-recognized church music clinicians with children’s choir directors.
To provide student leaders the skills and experience needed to plan and lead worship services through a leadership retreat, peer mentoring program and workshops.
To reflect corporately on the meaning and purpose of worship, including worship designed for the emergent sub-culture, through a parish retreat and a diocesan-wide leadership workshop.
To learn about worship and develop practical and innovative resources for worship which use the unique and varied gifts of four diverse congregations.
To offer weekly recovery services which encourage the use of artistic talents and personal testimonies that express God’s grace and forgiveness so that worship becomes the foundation of the healing process.
To provide liturgical formation for those involved in parish liturgical ministry with a concerted effort to identify and mentor young adults who will participate as liturgical leaders in the church.
To create new resources for worship which reflect the diversity of the congregation, including the chronically mentally ill and immigrants from numerous countries, in order to unite the worshiping community.
To prepare and implement resources for worship that include music, media and visual arts, liturgical movement, creative writing and drama through the creation of an interdenominational, intergenerational worship arts team.
