Religion briefs

Group fast seeks cure for diabetes

There is no cure for Type I diabetes. A special group fast, to seek divine help for a cure to the debilitating disease, will be Sunday, Dec. 5.

In November 2009 the Floyd and Carol Hatch family reached the humbling realization that the only place to turn for a cure for Type I diabetes that has attacked two of their five children is their faith. Until then, they held out hope that the world of research was progressing at a pace that did not need divine intervention. Finally, they realized that their experience with group fasts had many times produced miracles, so they organized a day of prayer and fasting in December 2009 and invited anyone they knew with immediate family members with the disease to participate. Hundreds united that day and have since dedicated themselves to join together on a biannual basis until Type I diabetes is cured.

"It is difficult to watch your children struggle with this disease. They are constantly battling the physical and emotional toll that it takes on its victims," said Carol Hatch. "Although millions of dollars are spent each year on research, we have been extremely frustrated that we are no closer to a cure than we were 15 years ago when our first child was diagnosed. Clinical trials, restricted by government agencies as well as pharmaceutical companies, take years to complete. Meanwhile, the number of children being diagnosed is skyrocketing. We understand that we will not receive cures overnight, we just want to do our part to speed up the process."

More information about research to find a cure for Type I diabetes is at www.faustmanlab.org/.

For further information on biannual days of prayer and fasting to cure Type I diabetes, e-mail diabetesfast@gmail.com.

Concert to feature Vivaldi's 'Gloria'

SALT LAKE CITY — First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake, 12 C St., will present its Chancel Choir Christmas Concert, featuring Vivaldi's "Gloria," on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 4 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken to support the church's music program.

This year's concert features the popular "Gloria" by Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi. The second half of the program will be made up of shorter works by John Rutter, Harold Darke, Tomás Luis de Victoria and others, with Pamela Atkinson reading seasonal lessons from the King James Version of the Bible. There will also be several familiar carols for the audience to sing along with.

For more information, go to www.fpcslc.org