Apply for the Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants Program to support and enhance Christian worship practices. We encourage proposals on universal design, cultural engagement, preaching, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and more. Two grant streams are available.
Join us for our Symposium on Worship and Summer Seminars. Engage in inspiring sessions, workshops, and intensive seminars to deepen your understanding and practice of Christian worship.
Psalmody in Color: Celebrating the Sacred Music of Black Voices
Anchored by an evening concert of psalm-based works, the Psalmody in Color festival includes a day of educational programming that engages scholars, musicians, clergy, and community members in dialogue about the role of psalmody in Black musical expression. Participants will encounter the psalms as a living and evolving art form rooted in scripture, shaped by history, and brought to life through the artistry of Black composers.
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship at Calvin University advances Christian worship through resources, events, and grants. Since 1997, we have partnered with congregations and organizations to fulfill our mission.
Douglas J. Brouwer on Pastoral Wisdom and Imagination
Published on
August 26, 2019
Video length
1 mins
These video excerpts come from a conversation between Douglas J. Brouwer and John D. Witvliet at the annual Calvin Institute of Christian Worship—
CICW—grants colloquium in June 2019.
Douglas J. Brouwer served nearly forty years as a Presbyterian pastor. He retired in 2018 from the International Protestant Church in Zurich, Switzerland, and now lives near Holland, Michigan. This conversation at the CICW annual grants event in 2019 marked the end of his eighteen-year service on the Vital Worship Grants Advisory Board.
Witvliet and Brouwer talked most about how “pastoral imagination” influences pastors, mentors, congregations, and grant projects. Theologian Craig Dykstra coined the term during his years as senior vice president at the Lilly Endowment Inc. Vital Worship Grants are made possible through the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc.
Local Songwriting as CSA: Support Your Local Psalm Grower!
Riffing on the themes of community-supported agriculture (CSA), Cardiphonia and Bellwether Arts have been partnering with homegrown liturgical artists to create local, organically produced fruits of the psalms through song, art, and prayer—community-supported artistry. Since 2015 they’ve been on a journey of seasonal engagement through which they have lovingly harvested almost two hundred songs, dozens of original artworks, and other liturgical produce. In this workshop you will hear from a variety of growers who sow and reap in West Michigan in various soils and sediments.
The psalms present a world full of color, texture, and depth. Join us for this panel discussion in which participants explore the contribution of visual artists to our experience of the psalms. What do visual artists see when they approach the psalms? How can visual artists help form our theological imaginations? What role do the visual arts play in interpretation? This stimulating discussion aims to equip worshipers and leaders with resources for engaging the rich visual imagery of the psalms.
The psalms are a rich resource for our human experience of emotions, community, and connection to God. We will practice activities based on the truth of the psalms and on psychology to strengthen our capacity for navigating suffering with grace and resilience.
Local Songwriting as CSA: Support Your Local Psalm Grower!
Riffing on the themes of community-supported agriculture (CSA), Cardiphonia and Bellwether Arts have been partnering with homegrown liturgical artists to create local, organically produced fruits of the psalms through song, art, and prayer—community-supported artistry. Since 2015 they’ve been on a journey of seasonal engagement through which they have lovingly harvested almost two hundred songs, dozens of original artworks, and other liturgical produce. In this workshop you will hear from a variety of growers who sow and reap in West Michigan in various soils and sediments.
The psalms present a world full of color, texture, and depth. Join us for this panel discussion in which participants explore the contribution of visual artists to our experience of the psalms. What do visual artists see when they approach the psalms? How can visual artists help form our theological imaginations? What role do the visual arts play in interpretation? This stimulating discussion aims to equip worshipers and leaders with resources for engaging the rich visual imagery of the psalms.
The psalms are a rich resource for our human experience of emotions, community, and connection to God. We will practice activities based on the truth of the psalms and on psychology to strengthen our capacity for navigating suffering with grace and resilience.
Preaching and Teaching the Psalms: A Conversation with Pastor-Theologians
A panel discussion in which Amanda Benckhuysen, Karen Campbell, G. Sujin Pak, and moderator Kathy Smith ponder the challenges and opportunities in preaching and teaching from the psalms. Are there incomplete or incorrect assumptions about the psalms that sermons and lectures can tackle? How do we handle the imprecatory psalms when we have a Savior who told us to love and forgive the very enemies many psalms talk about? The panel will consider these and other vital questions for preachers and teachers in today’s church.
