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 equip church musicians and worship leaders in a geographical area where church leaders often feel isolated by offering a day long gathering for training and discussion, book study groups sharing their learning throughout the year and a final gathering to celebrate what has been learned.
To examine how songs, prayers and sermons point worshipers to God through quarterly workshops which include historic hymns and catechisms to educate the congregation and leaders in other congregations.
To equip members of the congregation to plan and lead worship by offering workshops, retreats, and opportunities for congregational reflection as they explore what jazz worship means to the multi-cultural, multi-generational congregation.
To engage a growing, diverse congregation in singing the Psalms in order to promote confident, prayerful Psalm singing at home and in worship that will give them tools to understand themselves as an important voice in the story of scripture rooted in baptismal identity.
To develop assessment and formation tools for worship by engaging in meaningful reflection and collaboration with seven congregations that will create a pattern of continual reflection, assessment, engagement, discussion and practice regarding music for church members and leaders.
To promote unity across groups separated by age and tradition by studying selected hymns and integrating those hymns in four different weekly worship services using visual art, dramatic readings, special music, and Bible study.
To offer workshops for the congregation and neighboring churches to explore music in worship that will cross denominational, cultural, socio-economic and racial divisions.
To collaborate with a local planning committee to establish a new LPM program, to develop a model for the establishment of local LPM programs in other areas and to explore new ways of enriching the training.
To study and respond to the Psalms through prayer and jazz music in both corporate worship and small groups during the entire year.
To form an intergenerational team that study ancient and emergent worship practices and how they relate to worship today.
To engage in study and reflection with leaders from several congregations on how visual arts, technology, drama, and liturgical movement can deepen corporate worship.
To create collaboration between church, school and the home by focusing each month on one Vertical Habit in sermons, daily devotions, curriculum, special activities and chapel that will engage children and adults.
