A new study finds that volunteering is at a 30-year high in the United States, with one in four adults currently giving time in some capacity to their communities. Among the statistics that relate to volunteer service in America, the Corporation for National and Community Service found that more adults serve through religious organizations than through any other type of group.

A growing body of research suggests Generation Y and Echo Boomers (age mid-20s and younger) are civic-minded and socially conscious as individuals, consumers and employees. They may be less radical than boomer activists of the '60s and '70s and due to the Internet are much more aware of the world. 61% feel personally responsible for making a difference in the world. 69% consider a company's social and environmental commitment when deciding where to shop, and 83% trust socially/environmentally responsible companies more. Many want to help their country by working for the government. 66% of college freshmen believe its essential or very important to help others in difficulty. Volunteerism by college students increased by 20% from '02 to '05.

CCM Magazine, Christian music's preeminent publication, is changing its definition of "Christian music" with its May 2007 issue to raise the profile of independent and general market artists of faith. "This month marks a historic step for our magazine, and, as a result, the fans and the industry we serve," said CCM Editor Jay Swartzendruber. "We're going to start mixing indie and general market Christians such as The Fray, Mary J. Blige and Sufjan Stevens in with artists with traditional Christian label affiliation. Rather than define 'Christian music' just by its label or distribution, we're now defining it as Christian worldview music. CCM Magazine has always taken its role as a leader seriously, and we believe this is the way of the future." Check out the article here.

Forty-four days without food and counting, and he thinks his mind is starting to slow. There are days he is so nauseated, he can barely move. His legs, he says, have swelled up from a problem with his kidneys. His body doesn't give off heat anymore. But his resolve -- his heart, he would say -- hasn't faltered. If need be, he says, he'll take this to the end. 55-year-old Start Loving, a former business executive known to his friends and family as Jay McGinley, lives on the sidewalk in front of the Sudanese Embassy, a month into surviving on nothing but water and the will to stir the world into stopping genocide. Bearded, sunburned and dirty from weeks on the street, he could be another homeless wretch -- except that hanging like wings off his shoulders are two giant laminated orange placards that read "Darfur Hunger Strike March 1." Read the complete article here.

According to a new Barna study, women who are raising children are among the most faith-minded and spiritually active segments of the American population. The study explored faith-related activities, commitments and perspectives, relying upon nationally representative interviews among more than 10,000 adults and nearly 2000 women who are currently parenting children under the age of 18. The study shows that more than three-quarters of moms identify "family" to be their highest priority. At the same time, a majority of mothers strongly agree that their faith is very important in their life. In contrast, fathers also tend to list family as their top priority in life, yet they are much less likely to equally attribute importance to faith. Check out the complete study here.