1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA

On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 91ÁÔÆæ
CICW has awarded Vital 91ÁÔÆæ, 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.
HyeRan Kim-Cragg and Mona Tokarek LaFosse
To train international graduate students experiencing the trauma of migration and immigration in practices of trauma-informed worship leading so they can implement the practices in their worshiping communities.
To train worship leaders, theologically and practically, to better lead the congregation and equip congregants to deepen their relationship with God through worship, both as individuals and as a faith community.
Marcia Clarke
To equip pastors and worship leaders to guide congregations in theologically grounded, Spirit-informed worship experiences through promoting critical scholarly reflection on Pentecostal/Charismatic worship and collaboration between pastor-practioners and scholars.
To equip youth and young adults in theology and skills for leading worship so as to form their identity as God’s image bearers and help them see their place in the body of Christ.
Joel Kiekintveld
To conduct a case study of how a church reimagined its worship model from attraction-based to member-led, in order to address the crisis of decline of church members and clergy by proposing a model of church rooted in the priesthood of believers.
Shannan Baker
To pilot a contemporary worship training program focused on discovering the best educational methods for teaching contemporary worship, by engaging in workshops on technology, music, and theology.
To train worship leaders in technical skills and the use of technology for the development and implementation of bilingual worship services to promote unity among different generations in the community.
To strengthen the biblical, theological, and practical formation of worship leaders and the entire congregation through a series of workshops and special public worship services.
To develop and implement a program to train intergenerational leaders in the areas of worship and preaching, with emphasis on holistic leadership care.
To train the worship team on vocal techniques, launch guitar lessons aimed at forming a new generation of church musicians, and educate the congregation on worship through a series of biblical studies.
Steven Felix-Jager
To support church practitioners in their aesthetic, pastoral, and theological deliberations about congregational worship music by addressing multiple modes of discernment, with the goal of leading to deeper, more empathetic understanding of worship traditions.
To equip lay leaders with practical skills in the areas of music, public speech, visual arts and crafts, and technology to enhance the congregation’s liturgy and preaching and enrich the communal celebrations.
