From: Phil deHaan (dehp@calvin.edu)
Date: Tue May 13 2003 - 14:34:20 EDT
May 13, 2003 == MEDIA ADVISORY
In Baltimore, Maryland, an Evangelical Lutheran church will teach children to
be worship leaders. In Grand Haven, Michigan, a Christian Reformed Church will
commission inner city youth to create art. In Bluffton, Ohio, a Mennonite
church will train its members to be supportive in times of death and dying.
And in Warwick, Rhode Island, a Korean United Methodist Church will work to
create worship that brings together young and older generations in Korean
American congregations.
Although different in size, scope and location, all of the projects, and 50
others across North America, have two things in common. Each is intended to
foster worship renewal in its congregation and provide a model for other
congregations. And each is being funded thanks to a grant from the Calvin
Institute of Christian Worship at Calvin College.
The Institute has just announced awards totaling more than $700,000 to 54
churches and organizations across the U.S. and Canada. Indeed the grant
program, now in its fourth year, generated interest from nearly every part of
North America and from many denominations. The Institute worked with a
seven-member national advisory board to evaluate proposals. Funds for the
program were provided through a grant from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment
Inc. Founded in 1937, the Endowment's major areas of concern are community
development, education and religion.
"Through the grant program we hope to encourage grass roots worship renewal in
worshiping communities so that they are able to reflect on the purpose of
worship and develop practices that will impact the worship life of their
community for years to come," says Calvin's Cindy Holtrop, director of the
Worship Renewal Grants Program.
Several grant recipients will develop worship education programs designed to
train youth and adults in worship leadership skills and in the meaning of
worship. Other grants focus on integrating the arts in worship, developing a
worship model that meets the special needs of the elderly, and learning about
worship practices and songs from other cultures. Grant recipients represent
congregations and schools from 18 denominations in the United States and
Canada.
Two other programs grew out of the grant program this year. The Institute will
collaborate with conferences in 11 locations. A new initiative, the Campus
Worship Formation Program, will help worship teachers and student leaders
develop a process for worship renewal on 10 college and university campuses.
This year the Institute received more than 300 proposals from 33 denominations
in 40 states and three provinces.
"Because of the tremendous response, the selection process was extremely
difficult. We were especially grateful for so many proposals that give evidence
of deep theological reflection on the meaning of worship," says John Witvliet,
director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.
Grant recipients for 2003 come from such far-flung locales as Halifax, Nova
Scotia; Winchester, Virginia; Mitchell, Ontario; Emporia, Kansas; Ferndale,
Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Diego, California and Salt Lake City, Utah.
For a complete list of this year's recipients see:
http://www.calvin.edu/worship/wrgp/awarded_03.htm
Contact Holtrop or Witvliet at 616-526-6806
-end-
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