This fund is known as the Physical Renovation Projects Fund and is made possible through a donation pledged by David Nimocks, Jr., in memory of his wife Elisabeth Burns Nimocks.  David Nimocks, Jr., has pledged to match up to $300,000 that the congregation raises over the next three years. The letter that announced the pledge and the challenge follows:

August 25, 2015
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. John’s,

We write to inform you of an extraordinary challenge gift that promises to have a transformative impact on the life and worship of St. John’s.  David Nimocks, Jr. has pledged to match up to $300,000 that our congregation raises over the next three years to form a Physical Renovation Projects Fund. David’s most generous gift is given in loving memory of his wife Elisabeth Burns Nimocks. 

Your individual gifts, with David’s matching gift, could create a fund of $600,000 which would be used to make much needed renovations to our church.  Our initial challenge is to raise the first $100,000 by July 31, 2016.  These initial funds must be in hand by the end of the first year though additional funds raised may be credited to the second year of the challenge.

Please know that your rector and all of the members of the vestry are deeply grateful for David’s gift and we will enthusiastically participate in the challenge.  The vestry is also developing a list of projects, with estimated costs, for those interested in funding specific parts of the overall renovation of the church.

The vestry has allocated an additional $75,000 from the Smithson/Kyle Fund to be used to address structural issues and insure that the Church and Kyle House are water tight before we begin additional projects.  These funds will not count toward the challenge but will enable us to begin specific projects as new funds are available. Contributions to the challenge may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church with a memo noting Physical Renovation Projects Fund. 

We are truly blessed that David has chosen to remember his beloved wife Elisabeth in a manner that will beautify the church that she loved so much.  A plaque in memory of Elisabeth will be placed beside the Burns window.  This extraordinary promise, together with your gifts, will make a transformative impact on our parish and enable St. John’s to shine during the Bicentennial when we will welcome friends and family back home for our milestone celebrations.

The letter is signed by Father Robert Alves and by Drew Young, senior warden