1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
A Psalm Talk by Rawn Harbor with musical pieces with a visual prayer and embodied response led by Dea Jenkins.
Studying, reciting, singing, and praying the Songs of Ascent from the book of Psalms helped Centerpoint Community Church make its worship and spiritual formation more intergenerational. It also gave people a shared language for bringing all their emotions to God. The church created a website to make all of its Songs of Ascent resources freely available.
Many Christian publishers offer books of hymn stories, hymnals that follow the lectionary and church year, and devotionals based on hymns or the lectionary. Two new resources by Chris Fenner provide all three in one—hymn stories and sources, hymns, and lectionary-based devotionals to match each hymn. Both Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship and Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship: African American Edition begin with Advent.
This chapel worship service was led by Wendell Kimbrough at Calvin University as part of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship’s “Dwelling in the Psalms” year.
AGUADA, Puerto Rico — At the First Presbyterian Church of Aguada, the sound of faith has found a new rhythm. Between the beats of bomba, plena, and seis, a community has discovered how Puerto Rican folk music can become a vehicle for worship and spiritual renewal.
From “I’ll Fly Away” to “You Know My Name,” gospel music over the generations has helped musicians, choirs, and congregations embody faith in God’s promises and provisions. Nate Glasper describes how gospel music’s main genres comprise “academic, theological, historical, and cultural scholarship expressed through sound.”
Directing a gospel choir can help singers express their own culture or learn from other cultures. Nate Glasper shares tips for helping gospel choir members grow through mentorship and skillful directing so that they live a lifestyle of worship.
Sociologist Jonathan Calvillo researches how hip-hop gives Christians in and beyond the church agency to deal with real-life issues and shape their faith and spirituality.
Sociologist Jonathan Calvillo grew up in Latinx Pentecostal churches where church leaders made room for young Christians to express themselves through hip-hop. His life experiences and research explore what churches can learn from hip-hop creatives.
An index of service outlines from past Lessons and Carols services, performed by Calvin University ensembles.
Vinroy D. Brown Jr.—conductor, musicologist, educator, and minister of creative worship and music at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City—explores the vibrant intersection of Black sacred music and the psalms. He talks about Black composers and how they have reimagined the psalms through choral music, spirituals, and the gospel tradition for the benefit of everyone.
This conference, part of CICW’s year of dwelling in the psalms, takes place February 5–6, 2026. Worship services and breakout sessions will explore the many ways the biblical psalms form, encourage, and inspire Christians in their public worship and daily life.
