1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 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 train members of the school faculty and staff to prepare children for increased participation in worship through training in music, liturgical rites, the dramatic portrayal of scripture, dance, puppets and art.
To conduct a retreat and workshops for six churches on the purpose of worship, preparation for worship, prayer, biblically-based praise, preaching/teaching, giving, congregational participation and holiness of life.
To train choirs and choir directors of six congregations which include Hmong, Lao, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Anglo- and African-American Christians and represent more than 3400 people, to refine their skills and renew their sense of mission. This project involves conducting retreats and workshops, and commissioning members to write music for the choir that is bi-lingual, appropriate for worship and specific to events such as Pentecost and Palm Sunday.
To research appropriate uses of technology in worship and to offer area churches a conference on using presentational technology wisely in worship.
To offer a daylong symposium and to develop resources for singing the psalms in worship. The project will acquaint worship leaders with choices involving musical styles, methods and modes of presentation and accompaniment, and equip worship leaders to teach others to embrace the psalms.
To assist at least two congregations as they initiate ministries to young adults on university campuses. The project will provide theological reflection, consultation and training for worship team leaders in music, visual arts, media and Biblical storytelling, and assist these congregations in a process of recovery, development and testing of the adult catechumenate.
To offer a worship conference, worship events, and educational workshops exploring how spiritual formation and community dialogue are nurtured by worship in an ecumenical, multicultural setting.
To establish a series of workshops utilizing musical resources and ethnically appropriate instruments to teach songs of the global church, and to make the instruments and music available on loan to congregations following the workshops.
To create a multigenerational worship model through bilingual weekly communion and music. To reach this goal, they will develop a monthly “worship and spiritual formation school,” train worship planners, and develop resources for creating culturally sensitive worship environments that bring together young generations and older generations in Korean American congregations.
To engage four congregations in a process of worship renewal for adults and youth through an educational retreat, an ecumenical worship service, the development of a new African American liturgy, and instruction on the use of percussive instruments in worship that is sensitive to various cultures while preserving the historical order of worship.
To develop music and visual arts for the liturgical year which will encourage and inspire creativity in small congregations with limited resources.
To establish a series of workshops and discussions on the language of liturgy, and to encourage creativity in congregational song, movement and visual art.
