Worship: Sunday 8:45 a.m. 10:45 a.m. Bible Class: Sunday 9:55 a.m.		Lois Leimone Treasurer Biography Lois' parents met and married at the 1st Baptist Church in Richmond, California and attended church there while Lois was a young child, although she has no early memory of it. At some point, her parents took a decidedly different path: they became involved in the Mormon Church and eventually started attending the Richmond Ward. This is Lois' earliest memory of attending "church". Lois doesn't remember any of the teachings she received there and, by high school, had drifted away from the Mormons, as did most of her family. Lois says she always considered herself a Christian and can remember at a very young age reasoning that if you believed in Jesus, you were a Christian. Later, when she was in her twenties, the Jehovah's Witnesses knocked on her door and offered her a free Bible Study to learn the "truth". She enthusiastically agreed. However, the more she studied outside the approved curriculum, the more confused she became. Frustrated and discouraged with the answers she received, she left the Witnesses feeling that she was beyond hope and that salvation was impossible for her. Years passed but God had not forgotten Lois and began to work in her life—she met Paul. Religion became an immediate issue, and Lois began the struggle to replace false teachings with the true Word of God. She began attending church with Paul at a small fellowship in Berkeley, and with the help of Paul, Pastor Barry Francolino, and "The Bible Answer Man" Christian radio program, Lois finally found the truth—the Good News—that Jesus had died for her sins, that He had paid the price, and that salvation was possible for her! She learned that she didn't have to work for salvation because it was only available as a free gift from God. Lois found grace and salvation—once and for all time—in Jesus Christ! Lois and Paul started attending Benicia Bible Church after they married, and she continued to grow under the teaching of Pastor Mike Anderson. In 2000, Lois retired from Chevron after 25 years of service. Lois continues to grow in her Christian walk with teaching from Pastor Kelly Patchin at New Harbor Church. She attends Bible Study Fellowship in Vallejo where she serves as a Children's Leader in the preschool program. She serves as Cubbie Club Director in the Awana program at New Harbor, serves in the Nursery, and serves as Church Treasurer. Lois and Paul have two adult sons, Jason and John Paul, and live in Benicia with their labrador Zoë. Favorite Things I love and appreciate Christian radio programs because I have learned so much from teachers like Dr. Charles Stanley, John MacArthur, Chuck Swindoll, and other good, solid, Bible-believing teachers. I listened to "The Bible Answer Man" religiously and found information and books that helped me escape the false teachings of the cults. The Christian Research Institute is a great resource for a variety of topics. Paul and I love to hike and backpack, especially in Yosemite National Park, where we never fail to have an encounter (so far all peaceful) with a bear! We love to travel and have a trip planned to visit Israel for the second time this coming June. Hawaii is also a favorite destination. Music: As a child of the 60's I grew up with the Beatles and Motown. Paul McCartney was my favorite Beatle and Yesterday is still a favorite song. As a child, my siblings and I listened to Broadway show tunes from shows like Oklahoma and South Pacific that I can still sing along with. I have come to love Christian music, especially some of the enduring hymns. It's hard to believe that I had never heard many of the old hymns, especially those dealing with grace—Amazing Grace and It Is Well With My Soul —until I became a Christian. You certainly won't hear them in the cults because they don't believe in salvation by grace. Favorite Movies: Princess Bride, Contact, It's a Wonderful Life, Pride and Prejudice Books: I love to read and have many favorite books. I love all of Jane Austen's work. I'm currently reading Heaven by Randy Alcorn. Life Scriptures "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)... For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-10 "But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:8 "... always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15