Prior to 1874 there was no provision for worship at the eastern end of the Parish. When the new school was built at Stubshaw Cross it soon became a place of worship. A regular Sunday service began to be held there, and the congregation seems to have been of a reasonable size and constancy. It is known that services in the school were taken by Henry Gibbin from 1875 to 1883, Thomas James O'Conor Fenton from 1885 to 1888, and Henry Burgh Dolland from 1888 to 1890. The rapidly expanding population however made it desirable to have a proper Mission Church.

After the rebuilding of St Thomas's, the temporary iron church erected in the churchyard had been used as a Parish Hall, but eventually it was decided that the building should be transferred to Stubshaw Cross. This did not prove an easy task because whilst it was being re-erected on its new site it suffered considerable damage in a gale. After repairs the Church was licensed on 5th December 1895 for:

"the performance of Divine Service for the convenience of the inhabitants residing at a distance from the Parish Church of S Thomas......in preaching the word of God and in reading the Common Prayers and in celebrating the Holy Sacraments according to the form proscribed in the book of common prayer."

Every Baptism celebrated in the building was to be duly registered in the Register of Baptisms belonging to the Parish Church of St Thomas. The Church was licensed by Dr Ryle, who had consecrated St Thomas's new church only two years previously.

At first the services were taken by one of the clergy from St Thomas's, but it was eventually decided to have a resident curate in charge. The first of these was Reginald Lane (formerly Wolkenberg) from 1896. He was followed by:-

1904 Frank Kennen
1906 Joseph Llewellyn
1908 Thomas William Griffith
1910 John Reid Stewart
1915 Walter Illingworth
1917 John Snowden Robson
1920 William Alfred Gibson
1923 Francis Dockray Binyon
1926 David Maxwell Francey
1929 William Harold Vaughan
1930 John Wilfed Garnett
1931 D. G. Thomas
1938 B.P.K Watts
1941 L.C.I Lewis
1946 Denis W B Manning
1955 H.B.Morgan
1959 Malcolm C Ridyard
1965 Geoffrey R Aizlewood
1969 Peter James
1975 Walter Jones

In addition, from 1961 to 1965, Captain Terence Crolley, Church Army Evangelist, was in the Parish and his duties were mainly at St Luke’s. From 1978 to 1989, the Parish had its first Lady Deacon, Pauline Makin, who also worked hard for St Luke’s. There is no longer a Curate in charge of St Luke's but rather one Parish with two Churches and a shared Ministry.

For many years after its erection, the little Mission Church was cold and bare, but over the years many additions donated by generous parishioners have made it a warmer and more welcoming place. In 1916 a brass lectern was given by his family "in loving memory of Jesse Hodkinson, peoples warden of this Church, who died 10th October 1916," and in 1918 Mr. and Mrs Westhead gave a brass altar cross.

In 1920, Borthwicks picture, "The Presence", was bought and hung over the altar until in 1930 an oak reredos was donated by Mrs Williams of Bolton Road. The present reredos was given "To the Glory of God and in loving memory of John Barton" by his wife and family in December 1955.

To commemorate those men who gave their lives in the Great War, a Roll of Honour was dedicated in February 1921, containing seventy seven names. This is hung next to the Memorial Altar and reads as follows:

St Luke's Mission Church Stubshaw Cross

Men who died for their country during the war of 1914-1918

James Henry Ashurst Thomas Griffiths Ernest Molyneux
James Bate Griffith Griffiths Thomas Oxby
Frederick Bate Mathew Green Thomas J Owen
George Beck James Green Jonathon Percival
William Beck William Griffiths Peter Ratcliffe
Robert Brown Alfred Grundy Samuel P Roberts
Patrick Carney Patrick Hasset John Sharples
Samuel Catterall John Harrington Thomas Stone
Nicholas Concannon Thomas E Hughes Alfred Skipworth
Harold Crosbie Ephraim Hawkins Granville A Sutton
Walter Corless Thomas Hickson Richard Somers
Charles Counnsell Thomas Edward Hughes William Shaw
Arthur Deluce Georgr Francis Johnson John Parr Sadler
William A Deluce Henry James Jennion Thomas Francis Tattum
Peter Darbyshire Lewis Ellis Jones Harry Worthington
Henry Dixon David Jones Edward Williams
Richard Evans William H Jones Thomas Victor Williams
William French John Jones Robert Williams
James French Robert Jones John Linby Williams
William H Fallon Henry H Jones James Wilson
Albert Fairhurst Joseph Whittaker Lloyd Jones
Daniel Finch Frank Kenealy John Thomas Wilkinson
Albert Finch John Light William Kenealy V.C
Richard Flasby Ernest Lloyd Harry Winstanley
John Garvin John W Lyon

The memorial records that William Kenealy was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was in the Lancashire Fusiliers and was one of six men in the Regiment awarded V.C's "before breakfast" on the first day of the Dardanelles Campaign. A second roll of Honour was added after the Second World War, these containing twenty four names.

Wilfred Abbot Leslie Markland
James Bates William Nicholson
Cyril Boyers Arthur Oxbury
John Bryon Harold Pilling
Hugh Cuthbert Craig John Price
Harry Cunliffe James Shaw
Richard Frederick Davidson John Smith
Leslie Frost Sidney Thompson
James Hughes James Valentine
Edward Jones Leonard Whittle
William Kelly Clifford Williams
Thomas Lowe Thomas Wood

During Lent 1921 the congregation raised the money for a new Font and this was dedicated in June by the Bishop of Warrington. An alms dish was given "in memory of Mr H Calderbank, Churchwarden of St Luke’s from 1940-1957. " For the Communion Service a wooden box for bread was the gift of those who were confirmed in 1958, and a silver chalice and paean were presented in memory of Arthur and Elizabeth Marsh by their family in December 1956. Henry Wood, a chorister for forty six years was commemorated by the gift of an Altar book on St Luke’s day 1955, from his wife. A Service Book was given at the same time by members of the Sutton Family in memory of Jane Emily Sutton, Joseph Sutton and Joseph Sutton junior, who died between 1946 and 1955. A book rest was presented in memory of Francis Tattum who was Verger from 1937-1955 and a faithful worshipper all his life.

The great set change at St Luke’s must have been the installation of electric light which was dedicated by Rev. R O. Shone, Vicar of St Thomas's, on Sunday 6th May 1934.

The "Iron Church" has served St Luke’s end of the Parish well for a century, but it is now coming to the end of its useful life. Plans are in hand for a new Church and parishioners are busy raising the necessary funds. What cause for celebration if the new Church could be consecrated in 1995, St Luke's centenary year.