After marrying, Fred and Cindi worked on local ranches and farms before moving with their young sons to Tulsa to attend Bible College. Upon graduating, they returned to Lincoln in 1988 to begin their pastoral ministry at GraceLife Church, aiming to help people deepen their spiritual walk with God. They started modestly, renting a small Quonset hut at 5th and F Streets from John Tofft, a well-known local figure who recently passed. The hut, still standing today, marked the humble beginnings of the ministry of GraceLife. Building a Home for GraceLife Church Five years later, with a growing congregation, GraceLife Church purchased the old Johnny and Lou’s Bottle Shop at 671 East Avenue in 1993. As teenagers, they had frequented the store, jokingly asking Johnny Carnesecca to “put it on my Dad’s tab.” The building was in disrepair, but through hard work, city permits, and inspections, they transformed it into a functional church space. In 1993, GraceLife Church held its first services in the newly renovated facility, marking a significant milestone in the ministry.

Pastors Fred and Cindi Benzel, now in their 47th year of marriage and 37th year of pastoral ministry, have deep roots in Lincoln, California. Both graduated from Lincoln High School in the late 1970s, where they met in church, fell in love, and married as teenagers in 1979. Together, they raised two sons, who also graduated from Lincoln High School. Their lifelong connection to the Lincoln community has shaped their mission to serve and strengthen the spiritual lives of those around them.

We need a new building to make room for continued growth and to prepare our campus for the next generation. Our current space limits our ability to gather, disciple, and serve both our church family and the surrounding community. This new building will create a lasting place where more people can hear the life-changing Word of God, experience freedom through the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and where future generations can be reached for years to come. The vision of GraceLife is: • Serve the Church: Provide a larger gathering place to accommodate our growing congregation for Sunday worship services and other church events. • Serve the Community: Offer a venue for community events such as weddings, funerals, concerts, theater productions, school activities, and after-school programs. • Serve the Generations: Create spaces and programs for people of all ages to foster growth and connection.

As part of this project, we have worked closely with the City of Lincoln to address a gap in the municipal code, which previously did not include provisions for churches operating within commercially zoned areas. Through ongoing collaboration and open dialogue, the city has been amicable and supportive, working alongside us to help bring this vision to life. This process not only allows our church to move forward with building a new facility—one of the first church construction projects in Lincoln in many years—but also helps pave the way for other churches to potentially build and operate in commercial zones in the future. Together, we are establishing a framework that serves both the city and faith communities for generations to come.