It takes 90 hours to read the Bible. Add a few minutes to pray for Christians being persecuted around the world. Subtract the time it takes to cook dinner, because you're fasting. Add a few more minutes to pray for America's government, its youth and its general well-being. And don't forget to spend some time asking God to bless American farm workers.

It's a recipe for the holiday season, a time when more national campaigns ask members of all faiths for prayer or fasting or action than at any other time during the year.An expected 2 million Christians across the nation are expected to tune in to a satellite downlink from Houston Nov. 12-14 for "Fasting and Prayer '98," which is being billed as "the largest virtual prayer meeting in the country's history," featuring religious leaders like Dr. Bill Bright, the Rev. Billy Graham, Dr. Paul Cedar and John Perkins.

Prayer vigils and worship services in at least 60,000 U.S. churches will usher in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Nov. 15. At least 2 million Christians worldwide face persecution for their faith. And so do countless members of other faiths, like the Baha'is in Iran. Other campaigns lift them up for prayer or action.

During National Bible Week Nov. 22 to Nov. 29, all Americans - believers and nonbelievers alike - are being encouraged by the National Bible Association to read the Bible. Organizers say it should appeal to both groups, though for different reasons.

And Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, a coalition of civil rights and religious groups want Americans to fast in support of farm workers. Because farm workers are the "poorest of the working poor," Americans are being urged to donate what they would have spent that day on food to organizations working on behalf of farm workers. The fast is sponsored by the Farmworker Justice Fund, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, the U.S. Catholic Conference and the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society.

Doubtless there are other national and international appeals of a similar vein that have so far escaped local attention.

So what do these campaigns mean to Utahns?

The answer seems to be both "very little" and "a lot."

"Sometimes the local churches don't even hear about them" said Don LeFevre, spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.