I've never done this. The long axis of my present church is North-South, with the pulpit at South. Since this is based on architecture and location rather than tradition, I had to think about it, and on first typing it mistakenly put the pulpit at the North.
Us Baptists is weird, I guess :)
."For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend in to heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14: 13,14).
I was taught (as an Episcopalian) to refer to the altar end of the church as the east end even when it wasn’t.
3. There is a certain fittingness in adoring towards the east. First, because the Divine majesty is indicated in the movement of the heavens which is from the east. Secondly, because Paradise was situated in the east according to the Septuagint version of Gn 2,8, and so we signify our desire to return to Paradise. Thirdly, on account of Christ Who is "the light of the world" [*Jn 8,12 9,5], and is called "the Orient" (Zach. 6:12). Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens to the east (Ps 67,34), and is expected to come from the east, according to Mt 24,27, "As lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even into the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." (Summa Th II-II Qu.84 a.3)
(BTW, if you actually look up Zech 6:12, you will find that most translations do not list it like Aquinas does. His work is based upon the Septuagint, not upon the newer Masoretic text, which wasn't available until the 9th C AD)
All Eastern Orthodox churches are built so that we pray facing east.