Ministries & Outreach
St. Columba Conference and Retreat Center
Celebrating relationships.
Nurturing congregations.
Deepening discipleship.
Brad Thompson announced as New Executive Director
Bishop Don Johnson and the Board of Directors of St. Columba are pleased to announce that Brad Thompson has accepted the position of Executive Director of St. Columba Conference and Retreat Center. Brad was the unanimous selection of the Search Committee and the Board of Directors after a nine-month, nationwide search.
Brad comes to St. Columba and the Diocese of West Tennessee after serving for over five years as Director of Camp Kanuga. Based in the mountains of North Carolina, Kanuga is one of the premiere camp and conference centers in the Episcopal Church. "We are delighted that Brad is joining us at St. Columba and the Diocese of West Tennessee," said Board Chair Bill Murray. "His experience and expertise from Kanuga will be invaluable as we seek to expand and grow the ministry of St. Columba."
Brad Thompson and the Board of Directors are building a vision for St. Columba that engages and invites new participation from the Diocese and the community. Brad adds, "I hope to enhance the experiences of St. Columba's regular campers and visitors while reaching out to the Diocese of West Tennessee. St. Columba belongs to the Diocese, and we would love to have everyone visit and use this incredible natural sanctuary again!"
Brad, his wife Mary-Henry Hawes Thompson, and their young daughter, Neely, moved into the Executive Director's residence on September 15, 2011. Please join us in welcoming Brad and his family to the Diocese as they begin an exciting new ministry at St. Columba.
About St. Columba
St. Columba Episcopal Conference and Retreat Center is located on 145 wooded acres in Memphis near Bartlett, Tennessee. The Scheibler Lodge has spacious meeting rooms, food and dining facilities, screened-in porches, and single and double rooms to accommodate guests. Twenty sleeping rooms are available and can accommodate 75 guests for overnight retreats. Dining facilities can seat as many as 100 people. Meeting rooms can accommodate up to 150 people and may be configured to suit a variety of needs. Ample "break-out" space is available for small-group discussions.
Plan your next meeting or conference at St. Columba, which hosts events and non-profit groups including government meetings, Happening, church picnics, speaker luncheons, vestries, youth groups, scouts, men's retreats, silent retreats and choir retreats. St. Columba serves non-profit organizations and is not limited to Episcopal Church groups.
Other features of St. Columba:
- Large meadow area surrounded by the Stations of the Cross
- Sanders Lodge
- Vander Horst and Gates Pavilions
- A lake and dock area for recreational activities
- Outdoor chapel
Address and Directions
4577 Billy Maher Road
Memphis, TN 38135
(901) 377-9284
Directions: From I-40 between Memphis and Nashville get off the Sycamore View exit - #12 (the first exit East of I-240). Sycamore View changes names to Bartlett Boulevard and then to Billy Maher as you head north.
