St. Luke's has a proud history of serving its community. It has known good times and bad through the years. Times of 'crucifixion' and 'resurrection'. St. Luke's is living proof that sometimes certain aspects of 'church' have to die in order for there to be new life given by the grace of God's Holy Spirit. The old church building having close in 1997, is now use as a local community centre. The old building as pictured is a two minute walk from our new building.

South Canning Town and Custom House developed on marshland from the mid 1800's onwards to provide housing for the workers within the rapidly growing Royal Docks. St. Luke's Church was consecrated on 20 April 1875. The church was built largely in response to an article in the influential weekly journal 'Household Words', edited by Charles Dickens. It appeared on 12 September 1857. This spoke powerfully of the intolerable conditions in Canning Town and the need for a response from both society and the church.

The community of South Canning Town is now an inner-city council estate entirely rebuilt since 1945. We are just 3 miles from the centre of London. Many 1960's tower blocks and derelict industrial sites have been redeveloped for 'social' housing in the past ten years. At present most dwellings are still council owned with over half of the remainder being owned by housing associations. However, about one third of our Parish will be demolish and rebuilt over the coming years as part of a masive Regeneration Project.