St John's is one of 3 Anglican (Church of England) churches in the greater Fishponds area, and serves a very large population of nearly 5000 households. It is also a member of the 'EAST BRISTOL PARTNERSHIP OF CHURCHES' comprising the 7 churches below divided into 3 smaller groups each with a Priest in charge (team leader) supported by non stipendiary (unpaid) curates and Lay Ministers:
St Johns thuch started as wood and corrugated iron - known as a "tin church. It was purchased in 1894 by the Chester Park mission which had been licensed in 1887 from St Mary, Fishponds.
It served as the church for 17 years, and then served as the church hall until 1930 when a new building was provided to the west of the church. The church, or Old Hall, was eventually demolished c1970 and the space became a car park for the church and vicarage.
The plans for a permanent church were drawn up by E.H.Lingen Barker and the foundation stone was laid on September 17th 1910. From the outset the church was planned to have a temporary chancel and sanctuary, with the intention to complete the church at a later stage by building over the site of the old church. The church was consecrated on 25th May 1911, Ascension Day.
The energy for erecting a permanent church had come from the Rev. H.W.Hand, but although aged 32 he did not live to see the church completed dying on 13th March 1911; his funeral has the distinction of being first service to be held in the then incomplete church.
Eagle-eyed viewers in May 2003 would have seen this church appear in BBC1's Casualty where the brothers Tony and Jack gathered for the funeral of their father!
(This information has been taken from churchcrawler.com)
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