Vintage21 Church Awarded Calvin Grant for Worship Renewal

copyright 2009 Geoff Wood Photography http://geoffwoodphotography.com/ @geoffwoodphoto

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship announced the 2010 Grant Recipients, and Vintage21 Church was among those chosen! I’ll write more later on the project associated with the grant; until then, here is the official press release from the Calvin Institute (@cicw), with the specific information regarding @V21Church added:

Vintage21 Church has received a grant for the study of liturgy past and present, resulting in more deliberate planning, implementation and congregational unity. The Worship Renewal grant was awarded by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Vintage21 Church began as a church plant in November 2002. Since that time, the congregation has grown from thirty-seven people in their 20s and early 30s to a large community consisting of all age groups and many backgrounds. The Gospel message has grown to become central to every service, system and structure that exists within Vintage21 Church. While we strive to make Jesus Christ the center of each worship service, the worship pastor and lay leaders have reached a place where we need the help of others – church fathers, those with different styles and from various denominations, and people with a deep understanding of the foundations and application of church liturgy. The funding and support with this grant will take worship leaders through a year-long study of liturgy, utilizing guest speakers, books, and more.

This year, the program’s eleventh, CICW will award almost $500,000 to support a variety of worship renewal projects in 40 churches and organizations across North America.

“These projects have much to teach us about how prayerful, resourceful leaders in a remarkable variety of contexts are thinking about the needs of the church and opportunities for ministry,” says CICW director John Witvliet.  “We are eager to learn from them.”

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 2010 grant recipients, learning begins in earnest this June when project directors gather at Calvin College to dialogue with 2009 recipients and CICW staff.

“Ecumenical conversations with congregational leaders who have created a year long process of worship renewal provides encouragement and innovative ideas for renewal,” says Betty Grit, Program Manager of the Worship Renewal Grants Program.

This year, CICW received proposals from 22 denominations and 24 states and 3 Canadian provinces. An advisory board of pastors and teachers from a variety of backgrounds assisted in the grant selection.

Grant recipients for 2010 represent congregations and schools from 15 denominations in 16 states and 1 Canadian province.

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, 2011. 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.