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Worship Renewal Grant Recipients—Region West Central United States

You can view posters displayed at Colloquium for grant recipients from the years 2003-2008. Click on the organization's name for an image of the poster. (You may need to zoom in to read the text on the poster.)

The following is a combined list of churches and organizations that received Worship Renewal Grants during the years 2000 - 2008. Sort the following list by State/Province

Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Omaha, Nebraska To form an intergenerational liturgical dance program that connects movement to scripture while strengthening an appreciation for the African church and its expressions in worship.

Baptist Student Center, Cape Girardeau, Missouri To offer an inter-disciplinary, ecumenical symposium on the history and theology of artistic expression in worship, to host a course entitled “Worship for the Church in the 21st Century;” and to sponsor a retreat for the purpose of developing a cross-cultural theology of worship.

Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota To develop a 12-week integrative training course to study the history and purposes of congregational song and to provide participants the opportunity to write, critique and perform original songs and hymns. And to teach individuals, both young and old, how to effectively memorize and communicate Scripture for presentation in worship.

Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Lithuanian Catholic Mission, Lemont, Illinois To break prejudices across generations and cultures in a Lithuanian immigrant community through an intentional focus on scripture, the creation of art, and religious instruction.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Kansas City, Missouri To educate a parish and other diocesan congregations about worship rituals and the liturgical life of their communities during a cathedral renovation project.

Christ Community Church, Des Moines, Iowa To engage the congregation in a process that explores the connections between theology, liturgy and life through a conference and ongoing class which will study aesthetic liturgical reasoning to better understand decisions about music, outreach, and space.

Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota To develop a process for worship renewal by linking worship, education, and the mission of the college.

Continuing Education Committee of (Christian Reformed Church) Classis Heartland and Iakota, Sioux Center, Iowa To sponsor two two-day conferences which will focus on worship in the Reformed tradition and create a context in which churches can discuss worship.

Cornerstone Prison Church, Worthing, South Dakota To encourage deeper participation in the worship of prison congregations by teaching prisoners how to develop drama, lament, prayer, poetry, and music.

Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri To encourage worship leaders to become more deeply rooted in historical expressions of biblical worship while engaging today's culture through a conference designed to equip worship leaders.

Crossroads Church (Reformed Church in America), Overland Park, Kansas To sponsor a conference, "Arts Ministry: Fostering the Creative Life of God's People" that will expose participants to critical thinking about the church and the arts, present them with good models of arts ministry and provide a list of resources for arts ministries.

Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa To develop a process for worship renewal by linking worship, education, and the mission of the college.

Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa To enhance the understanding and practice of worship on the college campus through 2 conferences and a series of monthly meetings to learn about and reflect on the principles of biblical worship.

Evangelical Covenant Church, North Mankato, Minnesota To collaborate with three other congregations to prepare children for full participation in the Lord's Supper through a Sunday school class and the development of a picture book project.

Faith Lutheran Church, Topeka, Kansas 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.

Faith Reformed Church, Brookings, South Dakota To formulate a thoughtful and creative interdisciplinary introduction of a new hymnal through worship team leadership, adult church school class, and banners illustrating theological themes of the hymnal.

Faith United Church of Christ, International Falls, Minnesota To prepare and implement resources for worship that include music, media and visual arts, liturgical movement, creative writing and drama through the creation of an interdenominational, intergenerational worship arts team.

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Blue Springs, Missouri To integrate worship, outreach and mission through preaching and pastoral care by enhancing the quality of existing services in long-term care centers, promoting development of services for other long-term care centers, and building bridges between congregations and long-term care center residents through an intergenerational ecumenical project.

First Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Center, Iowa 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.

First Congregational Church of Webster Groves, United Church of Christ, St. Louis, Missouri To connect two diverse congregations in a collaborative effort to build community, transform space and inspire worship through the incorporation of visual arts into liturgy and the worship space.

First Congregational Church, UCC, Austin, Minnesota To examine the use of multimedia technology and how it can be introduced into an existing congregation, and to offer a workshop to share their learning.

First Presbyterian Church, Emporia, Kansas To focus fresh attention on proclaiming God's forgiveness, offering prayers of confession, and receiving God's assurance of pardon in corporate worship, through learning opportunities for members of the congregation, pastors and leaders from the community, and to develop worship resources.

Grace Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa To develop a collaborative, intergenerational visual arts project with adults, youth and children to create art for worship, and to share these projects with the community through a seminar.

Grace University Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota To deepen the understanding and practice of healing as a part of worship life in a community surrounded by large institutions dedicated to healing and health, through forums, workshops, retreats, and worship experiences for lay leaders and congregation members and weekly healing services for the community.

Grace University Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota To study scripture, examine traditions steeped in liturgical mystery and awe, create visual arts, and plan Lenten services of contemplation with lay leadership.

Grandview Park Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Kansas To develop a deeper understanding about the theology and practice of worship, educate and train worship leaders from the church’s diverse membership, and explore ways art can enhance the multicultural worship experience in an urban setting.

Hastings College Chapel, Presbyterian Church(USA), Hastings, Nebraska To explore the shifting cultural contexts of worship and to identify a theology of worship that is rooted in the past and open to the future, through a yearlong consultation on worship leadership with student leaders of the Hastings College Chapel and local pastors, musicians, and lay leaders.

House of Mercy in Lowertown, St. Paul, Minnesota To create a musical setting of the Eucharistic service which reflects the theological and musical aesthetic of the faith community, and to offer educational workshops to introduce the history and practice of liturgical singing.

IMAGO DEI: Friends of Christianity and the Arts, Lawrence, Kansas To train worship leaders in liturgical dance, visual arts, drama, music, and liturgical environment through a series of educational workshops.

Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota To offer a two week intensive seminar on the liturgical prayer life of the church for parish liturgical leaders so that they connect corporate prayer with daily prayer and living. The seminar will include times of theological study and reflection, and practical sessions on developing liturgical skills.

Lutheran Music Program, Minneapolis, Minnesota To extend the experience of the summer music and faith program to the greater community by helping students form yearlong mentorships with pastors or other worship leaders in their home congregations so that the youth will become fully integrated into the worship life of their congregation.

Lutheran Music Program, Minneapolis, Minnesota To partner with congregations to develop a process that will support the authentic engagement of young people in congregational life.

Music in World Cultures, Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota To explore how God is drawing peoples from all nations to become biblical, wholehearted worshipers through the study and development of indigenous expressions of music and the arts.

New Life! Lutheran Church, Oak Grove, Minnesota To equip worshipers to pray more deeply in corporate worship through workshops during Lent, with the goal of deepening and enriching both personal and corporate prayer lives.

North Park United Methodist Church, St. Louis, Missouri To cultivate active youth leadership and participation in worship in the local church through the development and implementation of a Worship Leadership Training Program for Youth and Young Adults.

Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota To develop four two-day gatherings for in-depth, hands-on training in worship leadership for adults and youth in smaller urban churches.

Park Avenue Church (United Methodist), Minneapolis, Minnesota To study the worship practices of the members of the congregation who are of European-American, African-American, and Hispanic backgrounds through a church-wide forum and focus groups, and to develop materials and education classes to continue discussion and incorporate new practices into worship.

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minnesota To develop two different types of Sunday evening worship services to reach the de-churched and postmoderns, and to offer a contemplative worship retreat.

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minnesota To develop "The Worship Outreach Pilot Series," consisting of creative biweekly communion services and a summer worship conference that explores various worship styles as outreach to those who have spiritual longings but no faith community.

Saint Andrew Christian Church, Olathe, Kansas To help churches develop stimulating and meaningful worship environments and sacred spaces for their congregations during a one-day workshop.

Second Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa To convene a gathering of pastors and other leaders from three congregations which have similar histories and face similar challenges in renewing their worship while remaining faithful to their heritage.

Southeastern Iowa Synod, Iowa City, Iowa To begin a training program for musicians and clergy of small congregations that offers classes in the theological and liturgical foundations of worship and the development of musical skills.

Southeastern Iowa Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Iowa City, Iowa To begin a two-year education program for church musicians providing theological reflection on the history, theology and practice of Christian worship, in addition to developing practical musical skills.

St. Andrew Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Olathe, Kansas To sponsor one-day workshops where participants explore the worship environment and consider the effects of that environment on the worship experience.

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Iowa City, Iowa To explore using drama in worship for biblical proclamation through studying scripture texts, discussing communication methods, and partnering with local congregations.

St. Paul/Minneapolis District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota To engage laity and clergy from nine historic congregations in critical dialogue, theological reflection, action and celebration around the historical aspects of worship in the AMEC, in order to identify new interpretations of traditional models for worship, seek new vision for worship that is intergenerational, and bridge historical worship traditions with contemporary ones.

The Gathering United Methodist Church, St. Louis, Missouri To incorporate visual arts in the worship space and liturgy of a small, urban church plant.

Trinity Lutheran Church, Mission, Kansas To sponsor a three-day conference “Tending God's Garden: Arts Ministry in the Church” which will include arts ministry, dance, non-Western church music, visual arts, environment, literary arts, preaching and worship, and church architecture.

Underwood Hills Presbyterian Church, Omaha, Nebraska To study and discuss with a group of local pastors the development of worship practices that combine emerging worship with Reformed theology, with a particular focus on the sacraments.

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minnesota To offer a one-week Summer Institute on worship and the arts for clergy, laity and seminarians with the intent of exploring the intersections of arts and religion and how these intersections can renew worship.

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minnesota To engage worship planners from five congregations with seminary staff in a year long learning process that will include theological reflection, dialogue and engagement of the arts.

Unity Christian Reformed Church, Prinsburg, Minnesota To learn about how the design of a worship space teaches, invites, inspires, and connects in order to foster versatile, multigenerational, mission-focused, biblical worship in a growing rural church.

Urbandale United Church of Christ, Urbandale, Iowa To provide opportunities in the research, writing and dramatic presentation of lectionary texts through Project AWE: Arts in Worship Experience.

Western Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, St. Louis, Missouri To conduct two three-day leadership institutes focusing on the foundation, formula, form, fervency, and festivity of Christian worship.

Westport Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Missouri To develop the Art 'n Soul worship project which provides worshippers with historic visual art that can be used in worship through technology.

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gowrie, Iowa To encourage a wide variety of youth and adults who have gifts in music, technology, public speaking and hospitality to create ecumenical worship services which will be offered on Wednesday evenings for people in rural settings who often are unable to gather on Sundays for traditional worship.

Click here for information on the Worship Renewal Grants Program.