Thomas Noyes Lewis was the first Secretary of the Anglican Congregation in Mount Pleasant, and while he was in office George Phillis and John Phillis Bushell conveyed to the Lord Bishop of Adelaide, the Right Reverend Dr. Augustus Short, a piece of land at the northern end of Totness upon which a church and parsonage might be built. This Portion of Section 7042 of the Hundred of Talunga was originally vested in the names of the Lord Bishop, Charles James Cook and Henry Giles of Mount Pleasant, and William Forrest and John Bennett of South Rhine, and was conveyed on 6 July 1858.

A meeting was held at the home of John Bushell on 7 October 1859, when discussions resulted in an agreement to build on the block of land promised, with a promise of £179 for the building of the structure and £79 towards the stipend for a minister to be shared with Mount Torrens. The church authorities in Adelaide were then approached.

On 16 December 1859 the Foundation Stone of a new church was laid. During the year that followed, monthly services were conducted by the Reverend A.R.Russell, at which Mr. Daniel provided music on his harmonium. By March 1860 the walls of the church were complete and the rest of the fabric was finished in time for the dedication at the end of the year, with the opening services being held on the Festival of Saint Simon and Saint Jude, 28 October 1860. Divine Service was conducted at 11am and at 3pm.

A newspaper report... "On Sunday, October 28th, the Church of England recently erected near the township of Mount Pleasant was opened for Divine Service. The Lord Bishop of Adelaide and the Reverend Canon Fulford officiated, and delivered most impressive sermons to attentive and crowded congregations, between 240 and 250 persons being present. Collections were made after both services, amounting to upwards of £8."

The Reverend Joseph A Boake, who was licensed on 6 August 1861 was the first Minister of the church. He also served Mount Torrens and Woodside, but could not take up residence at Mount Pleasant until a parsonage was provided. During 1861 and 1862 the parsonage was built to the north of the Church, at the banks of the River Torrens and by November 1862 this premises was available.

At a tea meeting to welcome the family of Rev. Boake it was mentioned that Mr Phillis (this being James) provided a home for the minister during the time the parsonage had been under construction and took two journeys to Hindmarsh to remove the minister's furniture. This allowed James Phillis to take the opportunity of bing the first person to drive a loaded wagon through the Breakneck Hill cutting.

"On Sunday, October 28th, the Church of England recently erected near the township of Mount Pleasant was opened for Divine Service. The Lord Bishop of Adelaide and the Reverend Canon Fulford officiated, and delivered most impressive sermons to attentive and crowded congregations, between 240 and 250 persons being present. Collections were made after both services, amounting to upwards of £8."

"Some months before his death Mr. Samuel Stocks made a present of a small bell to Saint John's Church. It has just been properly suspended from the belfry, and on Sunday last (that is, 6 September 1863) its faint but sweet and home-like sound was audible for a considerable distance beyond the township."

In May 1865 it was reported that services had begun twice each Sunday with the arrival of Mr. Pashley, services having been discontinued after the departure of Mr. Boake.

In 1895 the duties of the Verger-Bellringer were clearly documented, with specific detail regarding the cleaning of the Church and vestry. Brass was to be shiny, lamps were to be filled, floors scrubbed six-monthly and walls swept quarterly. Before a service the Verger was required to light lamps and candles at least fifteen minutes before the start of the service and extinguish them at the end. She (it was clearly stated ‘her’ duties in the document) was to attend all christenings, marriages and burials to arrange table, hassocks and seals, and provide water for the baptisms. She was to attend all services, direct people to their places and decorate the Church for festivals, such as Christmas, Easter, Harvest Thanks and Flower Service. She was also required to attend the annual tea meeting and picnic.

Bellringing duties included having an open Church door ‘and to ring the bell for ten minutes before 8 o’clock celebrations on Sundays. To open the Church doors and to ring the bell before morning and evening service, every Sunday and on Good Friday and Christmas Day. The bell to be rung for a quarter of an hour namely 5 minutes half an hour before the service and the last ten minutes of the service. To ring the bell for ten minutes before the weeknight evensong service and before watchnight service.’

The Verger was ‘to be reverent in behaviour in Church and Church porch and to be under the direction of the incumbent and either warden in respect of her duties’.

In the 1940s morning services were at 11am, and Evensong at 7pm. Generally only three families, Gregory, Treloar and Page, who all lived in the township, attended Evensong. The majority of the congregaton were farming families with cows to milk at the end of the day. The bell can still be seen, and is in use today.