A Ministry of the Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church
Welcome to the website for the unique ministry of the Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Join us on a trek across approximately 2,200 miles as the Appalachian Trail Chaplain seeks to make new friends, help those met along the way and show the love of God to all encountered.
The 2021 AT Chaplain, Chris “Bone Spur” Estus, is set to set out on his thru-hike in mid-2021. Watch this site to follow along on his journey.
December 3, 2020 – United Methodist News
Appalachian Trail chaplain shares his faith journey in devotional book
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W47Tg4Ef5Q&feature=youtu.be
March 26, 2018 – The Call
Appalachian Trail ministry expands with first ‘circuit hiker’
http://holston.org/about/communications/the-call/volE18/num7/at-circuit-hiker/
March 31, 2017 – The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee)
Why a Methodist chaplain is hiking the Appalachian Trail
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2017/03/31/why-methodist-chaplain-hiking-appalachian-trail/99714742/
March 28, 2017 – WDBJ Channel 7 (Hillsville, Virginia)
New Appalachian Trail chaplain prepares for long journey
http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/New-Appalachian-Trail-Chaplain-prepares-for-long-journey-417385433.html
May 2016 – Interpreter Magazine
Appalachian Trail chaplain engaged in ups and downs of journey
http://www.interpretermagazine.org/topics/appalachian-trail-chaplain-engaged-in-ups-and-downs-of-journeys
January 4, 2013 – The Call
United Methodists send first chaplain to hike 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail
http://holston.org/about/communications/the-call/volE13/num1/appalachian-trail-chaplain/
The Appalachian Trail Chaplaincy is a unique ministry of the Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church. Each year, the Appalachian Trail Chaplain embarks on a thru-hike of the 2,190-mile footpath that winds its way from Georgia to Maine with the sole purpose of listening, helping and showing God’s love to those he or she meet along the way.
A week of elation and disappointment Summit day was brutal. It was hard and discouraging and overwhelming but every bit just as beautiful and rewarding. It was foggy all day and we were trying to beat the rain. After summiting and what felt like 6 false summits we headed back down Abol Trail instead of …
Continue reading “SOBO Part 1: Katahdin to Monson, mile 0-108”
The last two weeks have been full crunch time. Resupply boxes got packed. I spent the week at the Holston Conference’s annual conference. After the annual conference, we started the drive to Maine. Allen and I spent a day or so with his uncles just outside of DC, made it to Connecticut the next day, …
It almost doesn’t feel real that my hike is just a few months away. It feels too good to be true, like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. I haven’t trained like I should, because, well, part of me is scared I will have this hike taken out from under me just …
You may contact the Appalachian Trail Chaplain ministry at:
P.O. Box 343
Walland, Tennessee 37886
or on Facebook