wfn.org | [CRC NEWS] Calvin Institute Awards Worship Renewal Grants

["Henry Hess" <hessh@crcna.ca>]

May 10, 2005, Grand Rapids, Mich. - The Calvin Institute of Christian
Worship is awarding almost $700,000 to 54 churches and organizations
across North America, with the support of a grant from Indiana-based
Lilly Endowment Inc.

The funding assists congregations and other Christian organizations with
projects designed to enrich and transform their worship.

The money will fund a variety of initiatives. For instance, a Baptist
congregation in Cincinnati will study and incorporate historic
traditions of African American worship through a 13-week study program.

A Presbyterian congregation in San Francisco will work to extend
hospitality throughout its multicultural and multigenerational
congregation.

A Christian Reformed Church in Salt Lake City will train area church
choirs in the area of music leadership.

And a Lutheran congregation located near a large medical facility will
reflect on practices of prayers for healing.

For the entire recipient list see
http://webapps.calvin.edu/worship/grants/awarded_detail.php?Year=2005

"One of the most heartening parts of this process is discovering so many
faithful and creative people at work outside the limelight, in ways that
nourish the church but don't make headlines," says John Witvliet,
director of
the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. "It's a testament to the
number of
vital but unheralded forms of the ministry of worship being carried out
across
North America."

The Worship Renewal Grants program, which began six years ago, is itself
the
beneficiary of a grant. The Worship Institute has received renewed
funding from
the Lilly Endowment Inc. totaling $7.5 million for three years of
programming
through 2008. The grant, the largest foundation grant in the history of
Calvin
College, will help the Worship Institute continue its work as catalyst
for
renewal among a broad international, ecumenical constituency.

Witvliet says the Worship Renewal Grants Program is a good
representation of
the efforts of the Worship Institute as a whole. It focuses on
grass-roots work
in local communities, with Institute staff eager to offer encouragement,
resources and expertise to fit each local context.

Says Witvliet: "We aim to do what church-related colleges and seminaries
do
best: mark off time and space for learning and teaching about what it
means to
live faithful Christian lives, and then push for implementing that
vision in
Christian communities."

Lilly Endowment Inc., an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic
foundation,
has supported the Institute since 1998. As part of several broad,
national
funding initiatives, the Endowment has also awarded grants to Calvin
Theological Seminary for educational programming in its "Making
Connections
Initiative," to the Christian Reformed Church for sustaining excellence
in
pastoral ministry, to Church of the Servant in Grand Rapids for a
pastoral
residency program, and to Calvin College for programs in the theological
exploration of vocation.

"All these programs," Witvliet says, "speak of the Endowment's strong
commitment to vital congregational life and ministry. They are a source
of
great encouragement and learning to so many people nationwide. We are
grateful
to be a part of this network."

For the full story see www.calvin.edu/news.
Contact John Witvliet at 616-526-6806 or jwitvlie@calvin.edu

---------------------------------
Henry Hess
Director of Communications
Christian Reformed Church
905-336-2920 ext.236
hessh@crcna.ca

To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church, visit www.crcna.org