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Summit brings together city鈥檚 religious leaders to identify problems, find solutions

糖心视频logo鈥檚 faith leaders share concerns about the city鈥檚 future. They see education, race relations, poverty, and mental health as among the many issues affecting the city鈥檚 residents and their congregants. Their concerns surfaced April 11 at the 糖心视频logo Religious Leaders Summit organized by the 糖心视频logo Congregations Study research project at the University of Arkansas at 糖心视频logo. The summit brought together more than 50 religious leaders to discuss the major problems facing 糖心视频logo, share research findings, and brainstorm ways that UA 糖心视频logo researchers can inform and support religious leaders in their efforts to improve our city. 鈥淚t was wonderful to see such a thoughtful and diverse group of faith leaders gather together to discuss how to move our city forward,鈥� said Rebecca Glazier, associate professor in UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 School of Public Affairs and the the primary investigator of the . At the summit, faith leaders broke into a smaller discussions groups, facilitated by Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter, chair of the applied communication department at UA 糖心视频logo, and discussed challenges facing 糖心视频logo and their congregants and how can researchers help in the future. 鈥淲e, as members of the clergy, have to get outside our sanctuary walls. It鈥檚 great to take care of those within the sanctuary, but we have to get beyond,鈥� 糖心视频logo Mayor Frank Scott Jr. told the crowd. 鈥淚n these new times, it鈥檚 about education justice, economic justice, interpersonal justice. It warms my heart to be before you today and see so many faith leaders. At the end of the day, we鈥檙e all about people, about love – Muslim brother or sister, Jewish brother or sister, or Christian brother or sister. At the end of the day, we all love this city and each other and want to do good.鈥� Aof the Religious Leaders Summit is available online along with the executive report of results from the . Although this year鈥檚 Religious Leaders Summit was a first, the 糖心视频logo Congregations Study has been conducted since 2012 when 66 clergy from five churches were initially surveyed. In 2016, UA 糖心视频logo partnered with the Clinton School of Public Service and expanded its survey to include 84 clergy from 17 congregations.聽The most recent report was based on a survey of 112 clergy and involved more than聽50 UA 糖心视频logo student researchers. Glazier said that the overall finding is that communities improve when congregations and nonprofits work together toward common goals. For example, many churches and nonprofits that provide food pantries for their clients could benefit by collaborating. 鈥淟ooking at the feedback we received from the Religious Leaders Summit, we see our role as researchers as contributing in two important ways,鈥� Glazier said. 鈥淔irst, researchers can help by studying topics that are particularly important to religious communities in 糖心视频logo. Second, researchers can also contribute by looking at broader questions including how to facilitate collaboration and how to find long-term, systemic solutions.鈥� Arkansas Democrat-Gazette coverage of the summit can be found .