Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

Serving Students

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) provides resources and educational opportunities for students at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary. We also welcome students from other institutions at the annual Calvin Symposium on Worship and for other learning opportunities.

Courses
CICW staff teach several worship-related courses as part of the Calvin College liberal arts curriculum and the Calvin Theological Seminary curriculum for M.Div., M.T.S., Th.M., and M.A. students.

Those interested in music in worship are encouraged to enroll in Calvin College's “Music in Worship” major or minor program in the music department.
Calvin Theological Seminary offers a new Master of Arts in Worship program.
Students from either campus may enroll in particular courses of interest, such as the "Models of Ministry to Youth" course or other pre-ministry courses.
Words and the Work of Worship: On the Cutting Edge of Worship Reform, Past and Present:

This interim course for Calvin College students, led by Rev. Ron Rienstra and Prof. Debra Rienstra, was offered in May/June of 2003. Students travelled to England and Scotland (including the Iona Community) to explore worship reform and revival movements of the past and present. View slideshow with comments and questions for further thought. Learn about historical reformers and contemporary worship experts.

Learning Opportunities

We encourage students to attend our annual Calvin Symposium on Worship.
All students are welcome to attend on and off campus continuing education workshops and conferences.
A team of worship leaders from Calvin College and Seminary, including several students, attended the quadrennial assembly of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in July 2005.

Leadership Opportunities

CICW staff participate actively in Calvin’s Jubilee Fellows Program, a program for 12 juniors to explore spiritual leadership and ministry. It has academic, relational, and internship components.
CICW collaborates with Calvin’s Worship Apprentice Program, a program of the college chapel office for training worship leaders.
Every year we welcome a large team of seminary and college students as volunteers at our annual Calvin Symposium on Worship.
CICW employs several college students as office assistants and seminary students as graduate research assistants each year.
In 2004 and 2005, CICW invited the Worship Apprentices to collaborate in hosting a High School Worship Conference.
In June 2003, CICW sponsored a Campus Worship Formation program for several Christian colleges across the U.S. and Canada.

Resources

Our online section on Worship and Campus Ministries provides resources for leading worship on campus and learning about the worship and ministry of other college communities.
Any student involved in ministry in a church or organization, during the school year or summer, is encouraged to use resources in Calvin’s Ministry Resource Center (MRC).
CICW provides resources for off-campus students to learn from worship experiences in other cultures.
CICW staff provides resources and guidance for students working on papers and research on worship-related topics in courses in religion, music, art, history, philosophy, cultural anthropology, and other disciplines.
The Calvin College Chapel lists worship resources for students at its website.

Worship Services

During the school year, daily chapel services are offered at the Calvin College Chapel at 10 a.m.
On Sundays at 8 p.m. the L.O.F.T. (Living Our Faith Together) service—a contemporary service with a sense of history—is led by students and local preachers.
Other opportunities for worship are held at Calvin throughout the week.
At Calvin Theological Seminary, small groups meet for prayer on Monday mornings.
Calvin Theological Seminary chapel services are offered on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 10 a.m. in the recently renovated Seminary Chapel.