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 plan and create a Lenten series accompanied with a devotional resource,with particular attention to the relationship of worshipers to God and to the development of this relationship outside of worship.
To develop worship services that focus on our relationship with God with emphasis on youth involvement in planning and leading as well as worship team development, and to stimulate an awareness of the continual spiritual dialogue of daily life through three community spiritual formation projects.
To recruit and train a core of ecumenical colleagues for leadership of a Lenten catechetical study in their congregations that will culminate in an Easter Vigil service planned with the participation of the catechumens.
To develop, with student leadership, ten or more complete chapels focused on Vertical Habits that can be used or adapted for use in other schools, to create a team of students to develop visuals for worship, and to pursue a deeper understanding of the uniqueness of high school worship.
To provide workshops on music, ritual theory, visual arts, architecture, dance, drama, sacred text, and the importance of sacramentality with attention to Hispanic, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and Euro-American perspectives to enrich worship on campus and in the surrounding community.
To invite more intentional practices of visual piety through a process that will include textual analysis, lectio divina, research and conversation, resulting in the creation of fourteen images of moments in the life of Christ which will be displayed throughout the campus and incorporated in worship and the production of corresponding devotionals.
To acquire knowledge about successful techniques for integrating multiply-challenged children into corporate worship, develop and implement a model for training clergy and lay leaders to welcome these children and their families, and help participating parents gain skills and confidence in exploring faith practices with their children.
To develop initiation programs for newcomers, including youth and children, which will include bilingual weekly communion, multicultural music and worship formation, and to partner with Hillsgrove United Methodist Church in multicultural worship celebrations and the exploration of justice and youth ministries.
To explore the use of artistic elements, such as drama and liturgical dance, in worship through a process that will include congregational members of all ages in learning and creating forms of artistic expression for worship.
To explore through study and a seminar how we use our hearts (emotions), our heads (intellect), and our hands (service) in an active way as we gather to worship as the Body of Christ.
To develop a set of liturgies for the seasons of Lent and Eastertide, use them in worship, study them with a range of fellow congregants, and prepare them for dissemination to a broader audience.
To collaborate with four urban multicultural congregations to train and nurture children to lead worship through a youth choir.
