Christine Parton Burkett, visiting professor of speech at Duke Divinity School, has a background in fine arts and drama and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. She has been working with preaching students and preachers in the field since 1991 and considers herself a professional pew-sitter. The art and craft of reading Scripture aloud is an area of particular interest as well as the care of the professional voice.
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.
A learning resource for Christian leaders and their
