Grants

Worship Renewal Grants Program

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Announces 2008 Worship Renewal Grant Recipients
May 1, 2008
Contact: Betty Grit

When church leaders talk about worship, they tend to talk about style, techniques, and equipment for worship services. But many congregations are dedicated to reflecting on the deeper meaning and purpose of worship and congregational life.

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), in Grand Rapids, Mich., encourages and supports these learning and reflecting processes through its Worship Renewal Grants Program. This year, the program’s ninth, CICW will award more than $700,000 to support a variety of worship renewal projects in 56 churches and organizations across North America. (View a list of grant recipients and summaries of their projects.)

"I definitely sense a hunger for worship to acknowledge life's mysteries and to convey the wonder of the gospel of Jesus,” says CICW director John Witvliet. "There's a hunger for deeper engagement.  People are saying, 'Don't just sell me a product at church, but really put me in touch with the mystery and beauty of God.' "

In California a congregation will engage in a year long study and memorization of the Psalms to help them more meaningfully pray all the emotions in the Psalms.  A church in Georgia has planned a year long pilgrimage of rediscovery and renewal of God’s promises in baptism and the book of Revelation through sermons, Bible studies, liturgy and education that will culminate with the Easter Vigil.  A congregation in Harlem, New York, will create and train worship planning teams composed of ministry leaders and diverse, intergenerational members of the congregation to use liturgies, music, mime, dance and visual arts to engage and unite worshipers.

These are just some of the creative projects that will be funded in 2008. For a complete list of this year’s grant recipients and summaries of their projects, see the Grants section of the CICW website, www.calvin.edu/worship.

For 2008 grant recipients, learning begins in earnest this June when project directors gather at Calvin College to dialogue with 2007 recipients and CICW staff.

“The gathering provides a unique opportunity for thoughtful church leaders from congregations throughout North America to learn from one another and explore how worship renewal will be experienced in their congregation,” says Betty Grit, Program Manager of the Worship Renewal Grants Program.  

This year, CICW received almost 150 proposals from 26 denominations and 35 states and 3 provinces. An advisory board of pastors and teachers from a variety of backgrounds assisted in the grant selection.
Grant recipients for 2008 represent congregations and schools from 14 denominations in 24 states and 2 Canadian provinces.  

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

The next application deadline for the Worship Renewal Grants Program is January 10, 2009. For an overview of the grants program and information about the application process, see the Grants section of the CICW website, www.calvin.edu/worship.

View previous Worship Renewal Grant recipients by region and year
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