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 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 enhance the accessibility of the preaching of the word to worshipers of all ages through the use of drama, visual arts, music, and puppets and to design a children’s bulletin that encourages active listening.
To host a series of workshops, each focusing on a unique cognitive or sensory way children worship God through visual arts, music arts, movement arts and writing arts, in order to investigate new ways of worshipping intergenerationally.
To integrate worship, outreach and mission through preaching and pastoral care by enhancing the quality of existing services in long-term care centers, promoting development of services for other long-term care centers, and building bridges between congregations and long-term care center residents through an intergenerational ecumenical project.
To explore with all generations the various ways, including reading, drama, visuals and song, that scripture is presented in the call to worship, assurance and sermon text.
To develop the Gathering Around the Word so that it builds community and to examine worship planning and practices with the goal of increasing active participation of all worshipers through leadership training and congregational workshops.
To empower small to medium, rural, African-American churches who struggle with issues related to worship planning and leadership development by creating a four-day conference, the 2004 Church Music Summit, which will provide practical, hands-on instruction and promote interdenominational fellowship.
To develop a small-group worship experience modeled on and adapted from the book Young Children and Worship by Sonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman, for persons with dementia in a large, non-denominational continuing care retirement community.
To equip people of all ages to participate actively in worship through an instructional program that teaches basic music skills and understanding of the role of music in worship and the life of the congregation.
To prepare worshipers of all ages to present scripture in worship through dramatic interpretations of scripture, original musical works based upon the reading, story-telling and visual representations of scriptural themes.
To develop resources that engage all ages in understanding the parts of a worship service and integrate their renewed appreciation of worship into congregational life.
