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 engage all generations in the singing and study of hymns in order to increase worshipers' awareness of God in daily Christian living.
To collaboratively create original liturgy, hymnody, and art for worship that facilitates connection with God in all of life.
To nurture community within the congregation and the neighborhood by promoting active participation in worship through the arts and the preached Word.
To create and pilot participatory intergenerational worship resources that facilitate collaborative worship in a variety of contexts.
To deeply form worshipers through the structure of the liturgy by collaboratively writing songs for the elements of the liturgy.
To promote deeper participation in worship by exploring the unique musical contributions of African-American Catholic parishes.
To unite two congregations in mutual partnership by facilitating full engagement in music, arts, and sacraments through bilingual worship.
To create a welcoming, multi-racial worship experience that explores God's liberation and justice through singing gospel music.
To break down barriers of age, ethnicity, and worship tradition by engaging and theologically reflecting on the arts, theater, and music in worship.
To enable deeper participation in scripture through drama, dance, and music as modes of proclamation.
To build relationships around the table by exploring a dinner church format and by reflecting on Scripture to create new songs that represent this expression of worship.
To strengthen the role of testimony in worship by helping worshipers tell their stories through visual art, original song, and written narrative.
