Established in 1826 (35 years after the founding of Knoxville), St. John’s Church was one of the congregations represented at the Primary Convention when the Diocese of Tennessee was organized in Nashville in 1829.

The Great Hall was added to the facility in 1984, along with other interior renovations and the old church office building was torn down to create an enclosed courtyard.

A major exterior and interior restoration project took place between 2018 and 2020 to correct moisture intrusion problems, repair the sanctuary interior, install state of the art lighting and sound systems, update restroom facilities, create a new library and several other upgrades.

The maze is a replica of the Chartres Cathedral pattern and includes lunations, trefoils, and petals sculpted in terra cotta and light gray paving stones.

Work on the project was completed by Labyrinths in Stone, of Yorkville, Illinois, and the dedication ceremony was held in September 2001.