On June 8th, 1873, The Church of the Good Shepherd began its journey as a Sunday School mission of St. Paul’s Church in Dedham. Merely three weeks after the Sunday School's inception, an evening service drew an attendance of 100 people on its very first day.

One notable figure in this early history was Mrs. Chickering, a resident of Dedham, who played a pivotal role by initiating the church sewing society. During one of their gatherings, Mrs. Chickering encouraged everyone to propose a name for the church by submitting suggestions on slips of paper. The following week, the women of the group anonymously presented their name suggestions. Mrs. Chickering commenced reading the names on the slips, and when she read "St. Barnabas," it garnered some approval from the attendees. However, another slip simply read "Good Shepherd." Without hesitation, Mrs. Chickering declared that Good Shepherd would be the most fitting name for a church meant to provide guidance and care to a congregation without a pastor or shepherd. In May of 1877, the church achieved self-sufficiency as a parish and was officially welcomed into the Diocese of Massachusetts.

Constructed in 1876, The Church of the Good Shepherd still retains much of its original architecture, including a distinctive bell tower. The sanctuary is graced by a soaring ceiling adorned with exquisite stained glass windows that depict scenes from the life of Jesus and the parish's history. Among these windows is the iconic Good Shepherd window situated behind the altar, as well as an original Tiffany window. Additionally, there is a charming and intimate chapel, all of which continue to inspire us with their beauty and historical significance.