Author

Amy Butler

Founder, Invested Faith

The Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is the founder of Invested Faith, a fund for churches that are closing to invest in faith-based social entrepreneurs. Prior to that, she served as the seventh senior minister of The Riverside Church until June 2019. She previously had served as senior pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., from 2004 to 2014. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baylor University and a bachelor of divinity degree from the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Zurich, where she worked on the seminary staff through its relocation to Prague. In 2009 she earned a doctor of ministry degree in preaching from Wesley Theological Seminary. Before going to Calvary, she worked with the homeless community in New Orleans and served as associate pastor at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans. Butler is a guest on the premiere episode of "Can These Bones," the Faith & Leadership podcast.

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Apply for a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant 

Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants from the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship are designed for worshiping communities. These grants allow a wide range of Christian worshiping communities to focus on projects that connect public worship with Christian discipleship and faith formation. Funding awards range from $8,000 to $25,000. 

The grants support year-long projects that show promise in fostering renewed or strengthened worship practices within worshiping communities in the United States or Canada. Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants for teacher-scholars are also available. Applications for the October 15 deadline will open on July 15, 2026.

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