Calvin Institute for Christian Worship Awards Grants

The Calvin Institute for Christian Worship (CICW) has awarded $300,000 in grants to support 31 projects in 2014 through its Vital Worship Grants Program.

The grants from what was formerly known as the Worship Renewal Grants Program provide churches, schools and seminaries across North America with funding for projects that generate thoughtfulness and energy for public worship and faith formation at the local, grass-roots level.

An advisory board of pastors and teachers from a variety of backgrounds assisted in the grant selections.

This year’s recipients represent 31 denominations in 21 states and two Canadian provinces. The group includes 22 congregations and regional church bodies, seven colleges, universities and seminaries, and two ministry organizations.

A few of the 2014 projects include: a year-long reflection on worship in a university in Tennessee that nurtures the practice of prayer in a new chapel space and exposes students to local church leaders and various worship traditions; a culturally relevant drama and visual arts training program for worship leaders in prison settings in Illinois; and, an effort in New York City that brings together multiple generations to plan liturgies that connect Sunday worship to daily life.

“Vital worship is always deeply rooted in scripture and provides many opportunities for worshipers of all ages to engage in learning and exploration,” said Kathy Smith, leader of the Vital Worship Grants team.

“The full, conscious and active participation of all worshipers and the formation of their faith through public worship is a common theme in our 2014 grants.”

John Witvliet, director of the CICW, added that the 2014 projects will help the Worship Institute in its own work of both the scholarly study of the theology, history and practice of Christian worship and the renewal of worship in worshiping communities across North America and beyond.

"We learn a tremendous amount from these programs—from the wisdom demonstrated in designing them and the insights gleaned from implementing and adapting them as they unfold," he said. "We look forward to sharing insights from these projects with a larger audience in our future programming over the next several years."

For the 2014 grant recipients, learning will begin in earnest this June when project directors for all 31 grants gather on Calvin’s campus to meet not only with CICW staff, but also with the recipients of 2013 grants, who will come to campus to share the results of their year-long projects.

“The synergy between old and new grant recipients is exciting,” said Smith, “because so much learning happens through conversations over meals and while viewing posters produced by the concluding grant projects.”

The Vital Worship Grants Program is supported by Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. Founded in 1937, the Endowment’s major areas of concern are religion, education, and community development.

Since 2000, the grants program has awarded more than 600 grants to churches, schools and seminaries across North America.