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.
Stay tuned to this site for news about God’s work is being done on one of the most famous footpaths in the world.
November 7, 2025
“Wadley to retire from Bays Mountain, serve as Appalachian Trail chaplain”
October 25, 2023 – Holston Conference of The UMC
“New chaplain chosen to hike Appalachian Trail wilderness”
December 3, 2020 – United Methodist News
Appalachian Trail chaplain shares his faith journey in devotional book
March 31, 2017 – The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee)
Why a Methodist chaplain is hiking the Appalachian Trail
March 28, 2017 – WDBJ Channel 7 (Hillsville, Virginia)
New Appalachian Trail chaplain prepares for long journey
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 2,197.9-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.
My time being home has been a whirlwind. I definitely think it was the right decision to get off trail and come home for a little bit. My anxiety was skyrocketing while I was out there and it allowed me time to get that under control and let my foot heal. Being home in such …
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, …
You may contact the Appalachian Trail Chaplain ministry at:
Appalachian Trail Chaplaincy
c/o Jack Layfield
703 East Towne Lake Circle
Opelika, AL 36804
or on Facebook