Hey everybody, this is Aubrey Chavez from Faith Matters.

Today we're so excited to share our conversation with Dr. Rebecca Glaser,

a professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,

an author of the new book, Faith and Community,

How Engagement Strengthens Members, Places of Worship, and Society.

For over a decade, Rebecca has been researching how religious congregations engage in their broader communities,

and the findings are incredibly compelling.

Rebecca's work offers a powerful perspective on how congregations can heal divisions, not just within their walls, but across society.

Her research shows that when faith communities serve together and engage in meaningful outreach,

they create what she calls

congregational warmth, fostering deep connections, stronger faith, and even healthier, more united

communities generally. In this conversation, we discuss why service with our congregations

outside of the four walls of our church can be transformative, why young people today are more

eager than ever to engage in meaningful service, and how worship spaces can be transformative, why young people today are more eager than ever to engage in meaningful

service, and how worship spaces can be vital places for bridging political divides. Rebecca also

shares insights on how interfaith partnerships and sustained community engagement can do the deep work

of depolarization and create lasting impact. Her insights feel particularly relevant and important right now,

and they're also deeply hopeful.

They show that small, consistent acts of service,

especially when done together, can strengthen both our faith and our communities in profound ways.

We absolutely love this conversation,

and we hope that you come away with it as energized and inspired as we did.

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