History

The Church of the Good Shepherd had its beginnings in the
early 1900's as a branch of the Ladies Auxiliary and Sunday
School of Trinity Church, Towson. Its members met in
private homes until the erection in 1910 of a church building
on Maple Avenue in what is now known as Riderwood. It was
then recognized as a parochial mission of Trinity with the
name, Chapel of the Good Shepherd, and its vestry (or "sub
vestry" as it was then called) was appointed by Trinity's
rector.

The second rector, John C. Grainger, served the parish
for 16 years until his retirement in 1965. During that
period extensive additions were made to the facilities
including a new rectory, the closing of a street that had
divided two segments of the property, enlargement of
the nave of the church building and major additions to
the parish house to provide more classrooms, a library,
office space and an expanded kitchen.

The third rector, David F. Gearhart, presided over the
parish during the turbulent 1960's and 70's as Good
Shepherd experienced much of the same decline in
membership as was felt throughout the Anglican
communion, yet those who stayed and newcomers who
arrived supported the church with renewed vigor. During
this period, pledges and cash in the plate grew from
about $72,000 to over $240,000. As a result of a
successful capital funds drive, the mortgage was paid off
and a new pipe organ installed.

In 1985 the fourth rector, Ben Huddleston Smith, came on the scene from academe,
having previously been a college professor for 22 years. Except for the addition of a
columbarium and a church bell, the physical facilities remained much the same during his
rectorship, but significant changes occurred in the orientation of energies toward
"outreach" and a new emphasis on the importance of family worship and continuing
religious education. Completing a trend from prior rectorships, the service of Holy
Eucharist became the central act of corporate worship, replacing a long-standing tradition
of Morning Prayer.

Towards the end of the Ben Smith era, Good Shepherd experienced another decline in
membership that was again offset by a strong surge of support from newcomers and
those who stayed
in the fold. At the turn of the century, the annual budget was in excess of $400,000, a
far cry from the $11,000 at the end of the era of the first Dr. Smith in 1949.

The Church of the Good Shepherd remains a little one in terms of the seating capacity
of its church building, but has experienced significant growth in terms of its capacity to
spread the good news of the Gospel.

In 1914 land was acquired by the Diocese of Maryland as a
site for the present Church of the Good Shepherd on Boyce
Avenue in Ruxton, about halfway between the railroad
stations at Ruxton and Riderwood, and the chapel became
a diocesan mission, its vestry appointed by the Bishop. The
first service in the partially constructed church
building was held on Christmas Day, 1915.

Its first rector, William O. Smith, Jr., was ordained a priest
on March 2, 1916, and three days later the first service of
Holy Communion was celebrated in the finished church. It
was admitted into union with the Diocese of Maryland as a
separate congregation in 1920. "Dr. Smith," as he was
thereafter known following his receipt of a Degree of Doctor
of Divinity, continued as rector until his retirement in 1949.
During his tenure a parish house was added to the church
complex in 1930.