Bp. Brett is the Provincial Bishop of the Province of Appalachia in the American Orthodox Catholic Church. He served as a NATO chaplain in the US Armed Forces. He currently is a Chaplain endorser for the US Military, and serves at Emmaus Abbey Cathedral.
Clergy
Our Clergy
Bishop Brett Travis
Father Wayne Lewis
Fr. Wayne is an Archpriest in the American Orthodox Catholic Church and the Pastor of Emmaus Abbey Cathedral. He formerly served in Chaplaincy in the US Armed Forces. He is currently planting a church in Knoxville; St. Hermiones Mission Parish.
Father Ric Smith
Fr. Ric D. Smith, M.Div., B.S., is a Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplain serving in Lenoir, North Carolina, and an accomplished clinical and human‑services administrator. He holds a Master of Divinity from Northwest Nazarene University, a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Liberty University and has completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Fr. Smith is ecclesiastically endorsed by the American Orthodox Catholic Church and presently serves as a parochial priest under the Province of Southern Appalachia and the Diocese of Knoxville, where he also provides leadership as the Provincial Missions Director for North Carolina. His ministry reflects a deep commitment to compassionate care, pastoral integrity, and the expansion of Orthodox mission throughout the region.
Deacon Kevin Knott
Dcn. Kevin serves at Emmaus Abbey Cathedral & St. Hermiones Mission Parish. He also is a Stephen Minister in the Chaplaincy department at Ft. Sanders Regional Medical Center, and works as a Chaplain for the Blount County Sheriff's Office.
Deacon Tim Zawisza
Dcn. Tim serves at Emmaus Abbey Cathedral & St. Hermiones Mission Parish. He is actively involved in missions trips and working with the Ulster Project of East Tennessee.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ
— Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)