 The COVID-19 global pandemic has touched all of our lives. For many of us, it has meant working from home. It's meant homeschooling children and not being able to see our family and friends. But for many others, the impact has been much more devastating. Hundreds of people across North Texas have become very sick and even died. Many have lost their jobs. Many families who already were struggling to make ends meet have found themselves standing in long lines for food distribution and agonizing over how they will pay the rent. As United Methodists, it is a part of our DNA to help our neighbors in their times of need as a witness to our love for God and as a way of expressing our love for our neighbor. One great way to help is to make a gift to support a United Methodist organization which is on the front lines of meeting the needs of those who are suffering the most. And as a way to support these kinds of organizations, three leading groups, the Community Foundation of Texas, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and the Dallas Cowboys have teamed up to sponsor a special North Texas Giving Day on Tuesday May 5th. This is a part of the global hashtag GivingTuesdayNow campaign. Now here's the really exciting part. The North Texas Conference is offering a dollar for dollar match up to a total of $40,000 for donations made to the nonprofits that you see now on your screen. All of these nonprofits are affiliated with the United Methodist Church and are doing great work right here in North Texas. These matching funds have been made possible through gifts given to the North Texas Disaster Relief Fund. Over the years many of you have given to this fund. Now funds given to disasters such as the Roulette Tornadoes in 2015 are being repurposed to meet the needs of those suffering in this crisis. And so I'm asking you to make a difference. I'm asking you to make a donation to one of these United Methodist nonprofits. Every dollar you give will be doubled to meet the needs of our neighbors here in North Texas. For more information go to the North Texas Conference website at NTCUMC.org. Friends, these are strange, difficult, and even frightening times. But God is still calling us to let our lights shine so that others may see our good deeds and give glory to our God in heaven.