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 train members of the school faculty and staff to prepare children for increased participation in worship through training in music, liturgical rites, the dramatic portrayal of scripture, dance, puppets and art.
To assist at least two congregations as they initiate ministries to young adults on university campuses. The project will provide theological reflection, consultation and training for worship team leaders in music, visual arts, media and Biblical storytelling, and assist these congregations in a process of recovery, development and testing of the adult catechumenate.
To engage the entire congregation, through a retread and study, in a discussion of Reformed worship with the intent of constructing new forms of worship which will be meaningful and attractive to the entire congregation, especially to young families.
To teach congregations the fundamentals of designing the worship life of a community that include people of all ages, particularly children and youth, in ways that are engaging, participatory and meaningful.
To renew interest in the use of the pipe organ in worship by conducting workshops for children and youth to introduce them to the organ, workshops for organists, offering a hymn festival and initiating a scholarship program for youth who wish to take organ lessons.
To create and implement campus worship services using a process that facilitates communication between students and faculty, integrates clerical and student/lay leaders in ministry and achieves a deeper understanding of the biblical foundations for worship.
To create an urban school of worship for teenagers, which will develop individual worship leaders and musicians and forge them into teams to lead worship for teen peers on Friday nights, for smaller children on Saturday and for supporting churches on Sunday.
To develop curricular and training materials, courses, workshops, and programs to enhance the musical and theological training of young adults engaged in the leadership of contemporary worship services.
To enhance and promote an integrative worship experience in a worshiping community that is bilingual and bicultural, worshiping in both Spanish and English and many diverse styles. Training will be provided for writing and arranging music; liturgies, songs, hymns, and other worship materials will be translated; children's worship will be enhanced and a two-day conference on "integrative worship" will be offered.
To develop a series of worships for worship leaders and children to develop a philosophy of worship for children's worship and age appropriate activities for sue in children's worship ministries
To host a Liturgical Arts Festival - a worship in worship ministry for children, youth and adult worship leaders where adults will empower young people in the planning and implementation of meaningful worship experiences, and local churches will find new ways to share in worship ministry.
To develop an educational program of Fine Arts in Worship for children and youth
