Visiting Clergy
The Rev. Dr. Louis “Smokey” Oats was born in 1951 in Nashville, TN, the son of a promising fashion model and Caribbean drug lord. He joined the Episcopal Church during junior high school, and gave his life to Jesus one Sunday afternoon in a desperate bargain struck while dangling from the second story roof of the Parish house after failing to gain unauthorized access to the building before that evening’s EYC meeting.
While as Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church, Morristown, TN, and sometime Headmaster of its Day School, Smokey completed his doctoral studies in clergy formation.
Smokey has served the larger community in a number of capacities including Bishop and Council, Deputy to General Convention and Chair of the Department of Youth Work in Tennessee; Charlotte’s Arts and Science Council and United Way’s Youth Education and Community Building Councils; and a “Sunday supply guy” whenever possible.
He is married to Sharon (though even angels wonder why she puts up with him) and they have two daughters: Jessica (45) graduate of Harvard and Stanford Law School and Leah (43) graduate of MIT now with the government.