In the early years of the 19th century the parish of Bishopston was growing so large due to building in the North and West of the parish that the Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels could not cope with the number of churchgoers, overflow services taking place in the Church Hall. Thus was sown the seed from which sprang the Church of the Good Shepherd. Gradually the Mission services, as there were known, attracted a congregation of its' own.

After the First world war building went on apace in the area at the top of Bishop Road and it was finally agreed by the Church Authority that a small church be built at a cost not exceeding £1,200 (including furnishings) and this was jointly funded by the Bishop Fund and the parish church of St Michael and All Angels, the vicar of which would keep it under his supervision. Actual cost was £ 1,494 12s. 8 d and the new building was dedicated on 31st December 1927 by the Bishop of Malmesbury the late Rt. Rev. Ronald Ramsay and named the Church of the Good Shepherd (incorporating the name of one of its' devoted pioneer workers and first treasurer Mrs E Shepherd) The collection at this service was £2 19s 3 d.

The building itself was made of timber and asbestos sheets and the interior tongued and grooved varnished wood and the Archdeacon was very impressed with its appearance. The first Priest-in-Charge was the Rev. Linley A Knight who initially lived in Theresa Avenue but in 1930 the Parish Church purchased 26 Kings Drive as the Curate's house. Communicants averaged 21 per Sunday but due to the increase in house building it was hoped this would soon increase. Rev. L A Knight then moved to Swindon to be replaced by Rev E W Plowright who rapidly increased numbers in the Sunday School and a branch of the Girls Friendly Society was started. A pipe organ of dubious quality was purchased in 1933 for £100. In 1935 the Church Council decided to inaugurate the New Church Building Fund to enable a permanent type of building to be built - total of the Fund in the first year amounted to £3 5 18s.10d.

In 1936 Rev. Plowright's ministry ended when he accepted a living in Hanham and the next `trainee' to arrive was the Rev. R T Murray and due to an unique quality of character he transformed the interior of the church. He `found' a new pulpit, a church bell, a 200 year old coat of arms, a stone font, oak choir stalls, a new altar, flag staff with flags, chalice & paten and the final crowning gift of a new organ bequeathed by a lady in Clevedon to the Diocese and the Rev. Murray was the first in the field to claim it The biggest `gift' of all was the old Church Hall of St Peter's, Henleaze, which, with Heating and Electric fittings was ours if we removed it completely in 16 days - this was accepted and the whole church was mobilised and met the challenge and then, when the foundations were laid, rebuilt it at a cost of £722.

Rev. R T Murray was inducted as Vicar of St. Michael and All Angels' Church, Windmill Hill in 1940 and we were then joined by the Rev. R H Down.

This was an era of consolidation and schemes started which are running in the present day. The introduction of the Envelope scheme; the start of the Tuesday Night Fellowship, now renamed; Mothers' Union and CEMS S branches were formed. The New Church Building Fund was put on a proper footing. The Church was granted a Marriage Licence. Boys and Girls Clubs were formed and spotting activities took place between the Churches.

The Rev. J Orbell then joined us in 1946 and was give the additional duty as Chaplain to Horfield Prison and the choir robes changed to a Madonna Blue and the choir boys collars were changed to ruffs. The Church came of age and celebrated 21 years. The Rev. Denys R Evans followed on and had a big impact on the Spiritual side of the church, introducing the 9.30 a m family communion and doubling the number of communicants.

He was succeeded by the Rev. Derek Palmer who realised the community had continued to grow and that the Church should be a permanent building and with the agreement of the Parish Church, a planning committee was formed. Plans were drawn up by a Swindon architect and approved by the Diocese on the understanding it would remain within the Parish of St Michael and all Angels and no financial contribution could be guaranteed from the Diocese. Great efforts were made on fund raising and a contract was placed with Messrs. J Perkins and Son Ltd in October 1957. Subsequently the Foundation Stone was laid on the 2nd November 1957 by the Bishop of Bristol. The final cost was just under £16,000, all paid for from voluntary contributions and many activities performed by church members On Saturday 13th September 1958 the Bishop of Bristol the Rt. Rev. F A Cockin dedicated the new stone structure.

Various Curates came and left to be Vicars usually after a period of 3-4 years and it was in 1967 that the Church Council decided it was time to replace the Church Hall and again the congregation rose to the challenge and it was paid for by their efforts.

Since then the Church and Hall has become one of the major hubs in the Community and when the team ministry was introduced the incumbent was designated as Vicar-in-Charge.

May we re-echo the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury on his message to the permanent church, "As you look BACK over the past decades, may you look UP in thankfulness for God's good hand on you ON to a future of ever livelier worship and service, and ROUND to a world desperately in need of the love of GOD in CHRIST ---`