A Brief History of the Church of the Good Shepherd
In July 1888 the Mission of the Good Shepherd was established by Christ Church, Lexington, with first services held at a small cottage of a prominent Christ Church layman on South Broadway. Rectors of Christ Church and their assistants were in charge for the first 25 years of this Mission's existence. In December 1888 the Chapel of the Good Shepherd moved to 523 South Broadway and was formally opened by the Rt Rev'd Thomas Underwood Dudley, Bishop of Kentucky.
In 1895 Good Shepherd entered the newly formed Diocese of Lexington as a mission of Christ Church. In 1906 the Chapel was moved (literally) to a lot on East Maxwell near Woodland Avenue. In 1916 the Mission of Good Shepherd became an independent organized mission of the Diocese of Lexington. The chapel on East Maxwell was destroyed by fire in 1918 and virtually all records were lost. A new lot was purchased on East Main at Bell Court with proceeds from the sale of the East Maxwell lot, insurance money, and donations from many local people.
In 1920 The Rev'd Thomas Lever Settle was named Priest-in-Charge, and in 1921 Good Shepherd became an independent parish. In 1923 Fr Settle delivered an address that helped defeat a bill in the Kentucky Legislature to abolish pari-mutuel betting. The bill was defeated by one vote!
The Thoroughbred Association of Kentucky established a fund to build the Church of the Good Shepherd in appreciation to Fr Settle. $200,000 was raised with contributions coming form all over the country -- from horse owners and breeders of all faiths. On a plaque in the church's bell tower are these words:
"To the Glory of God. This Church is given to Him by the lovers of the horse from all over the country as a token of appreciation of their Father's goodness to His children - Man. 1926."
The corner stone was laid by Bishop Burton in 1925 and the building was completed one year later absolutely debt free. Fr Settle then ordered the magnificent wood carvings of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper and others by Anton and Gustav Lang from Oberammergau, Germany, the elaborate stained-glass windows, as well as a $10,000 pipe organ, leaving Good Shepherd with a large debt when he departed in 1930.
The Rt Rev'd H P Almot Abbot, Bishop of Lexington from 1929-45, took charge of Good Shepherd after Fr Settle left, and again in 1943, serving as rector without salary. The Church of the Good Shepherd finally gained its financial footing when the Rev'd T Clarke Bloomfield became rector in 1950. Through his dedication, sound management and vision the long-standing debt was retired.
From 1951-66 the parish house became the interim home of the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Kentucky
In 1958 Good Shepherd Day School was established with 28 students. Today there are approximately 160 children enrolled.
In 1994 the Rev'd Robert L Sessum became rector of Good Shepherd, and in 1995 the Peal of Bells was installed in the bell tower and rang for the first time on Christmas Eve.
In 2002 substantial renovations were completed with all new office spaces and Sunday School classrooms, as well as the Seminary Building totally renovated to accomodate the Day School. The church building and Day School were joined, connecting the two largest buildings of the church campus.
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