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Psalmfest Mini-grants Program

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is providing support to worshiping communities to host a Psalmfest that features congregational singing based on the new songbook Psalms for All Seasons: A Complete Psalter for Worship.


Published:
November 30, 2011

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is providing support to worshiping communities to host a public worship event (Psalmfest) that features congregational singing based on our brand-new publication Psalms for All Seasons: A Complete Psalter for Worship (Brazos and Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2012).

Who can participate?

Any Christian worshiping community in North America is invited to apply to us for support. Your community might be a congregation, school, college or university, seminary, retirement community, nursing home, prison congregation, new church/old church, big church/small church, church plant/home church, urban, suburban, or rural congregation…all are invited to apply.

Why is this happening?

To promote the faithful and fruitful use of the biblical psalms in Christian worship.

What are the requirements?

  1. Form a planning team (we require at least three people) to submit an application. Application process closes on May 1, 2012.
  2. The Psalmfest must:
    • be a public event free of charge (perhaps a Sunday evening or mid-week service);
    • feature congregational singing of at least eight selections from Psalms for All Seasons; and
    • be held any time before May 2013.
  3. The planning team agrees to help us share the learning you experience as a worshiping community as you engage with the Psalms more deeply.

How will we gather this learning?

 We will:

  • Post your Psalmfest date and a link to more information at your church or organization’s website at our website (worship.calvin.edu).
  • Receive from your team a reflection document after your Psalmfest.

 We may also:

  • Schedule an interview with your team with a writer who produces stories and conversations for our website
  • Invite a member from your team to be on a panel at a future January Symposium on Worship, held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

What support will the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship provide?

  • Free copies of Psalms for All Seasons for the planning team (3 - 5 copies). Songbook retails for $29.99 USD. 
  • Additional psalm resources published by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship at no charge (approximately an $80 value)
  • Access to guest leadership (Worship Institute staff and associates) with honorarium and travel expenses covered.

What are some tools for planning a Psalmfest?

  • Explore the Psalms in Worship Showcase on our website, with links to many articles, cds, books.
  • Visit the companion website to the songbook which contains many additional resources that support the use of the songbook.
  • Visit Hymnary.org to find text, tune, and composer information on each song in the songbook.
  • Options to consider for a Psalmfest:
    • Sunday evening or mid-week service
    • A community-wide service with other churches in your classis, presbytery, or neighborhood
    • A service before a classis or presbytery meeting
    • A school event involving children for a spring festival with different grades taking a different psalm
    • A Reformation Day or Ascension Day service featuring the Psalms
    • An evening option for a weekend youth group or college dorm retreat
    • An evening gathering for a retirement complex
    • Other ideas?

Application 

Apply Now

The application is online . It is a two-part process:

Part One

 You will be asked to enter the following information:

  1. Name and address of church/organization.
  2. Names and email addresses of the planning team members (min. of 3 – max. of 5).
  3. Tentative date of Psalmfest & location if different from #1.

You will be required to select:

  1. Copies of Psalms for All Seasons: Complete Psalter for Worship for the planning team (3 - 5 copies).

You will be offered these resources (optional but strongly encouraged), one copy each:

  1. The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship: A Brief Introduction and Guide to Resources, by John D. Witvliet
  2. Voicing God’s Psalms with audio cd, by Calvin Seerveld
  3. Cry Out to God!: Songs from Psalms for All Seasons cd, by Greg Scheer and the Choral Scholars
  4. Sing to the Lord: Songs from Psalms for All Seasons cd, produced by GIA Publications Inc.
  5. Psalms Unplugged cd, by Eelco Vos and The Psalms Project
  6. Music of the Genevan Psalter cd, produced by Calvin College

In addition, you are invited to consider Worship Institute staff members and associates to join you as guest musicians or leaders. We are able to provide their time and travel costs at our expense. We request you arrange housing, meals, and local transportation.

Name, area of speciality

At this point, you would indicate if you are interested in this option and who you might consider.

Part Two

 After you receive a confirmation email that your application has been accepted, you will be mailed (to the church address) the resources requested.

After your planning team has met and made additional plans, you are required to return to the online form and complete the following:

  1. *Confirm final date and location of Psalmfest. If possible, provide a website link for additional information.
  2. List selections (minimum of eight) from Psalms for All Seasons to be featured at the festival.
  3. If applicable, submit name of staff member or associate you would like to request to join the Psalmfest. We will facilitate further communication.
  4. Order as many additional copies of Psalms for All Seasons at the bulk rate of $15 per copy ($25 shipping fee OR free shipping if you order more than 10 copies). We encourage you to provide copies to all festival participants and encourage further Psalm study and reflection at home and in small groups.

 *Should you choose not to continue with a festival, we request you reimburse us for Psalms for All Seasons (at the partial cost of $15 per copy).

The final communication will be the feedback form which we will email to you after your festival.

 

With support from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

 

More Information