About St. Columba

The mission of St. Columba is to provide a natural sanctuary and opportunities for growth through camps, retreats, conferences, and events.

St. Columba is a 501(c)3 camp and retreat center funded by individuals and churches and operates as an camp and hospitality ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee. Our private 145-acre campus features old-growth forests, fields, creeks and wildlife. The center annually serves over 200 nonprofit, church, school and family groups and over 900 campers through Mud Camp & Camp Able. 

PROPERTY FEATURES

 

History

St. Columba is the steward of the land that was historically inhabited by generations of peoples of the Chickasaw Nation. We feel acknowledgment is only one small step in responsibly bringing attention to the Native peoples who stewarded this land before us. You can learn more about the Cherokee Nation here.

After the Treaty of Tuscaloosa was put into place in 1818, European-American migrants and slaves began moving into the Mid-South area. Ownership of St. Columba through the newly developed Shelby County dates to Roderick J.P. Shivers of North Carolina who purchased the property in 1846. Shivers lived on the property with his wife and children until his death in 1852. His heirs continued to live on the property up until it was sold in 1858. His wife and youngest daughter continued to live on the adjacent property after the sale. Two of Shivers’ grandchildren, who died in 1856, are buried on the property behind Sanders Lodge. The property was sold to Dimeon Ferrell in 1858. Dimeon Ferrell, his wife Tabitha Wood Ferrell, their children, and a second family, the Williamsons lived on the property. Tabitha Ferrell, and Walter and Daisy Williamson are buried on the property. Mr. Farrell sold the property to the Scheibler family by 1896.

Dr. James Scheibler, a veterinarian, and his wife used the property for many years as a summer home. They were originally from Germany and survived the Yellow Fever epidemics in Memphis because they came to stay at their summer home outside the city. Dr. Scheibler was subsequently responsible for starting Shelby County’s first public health department . The Scheiblers were faithful members of the Episcopal Church and were instrumental in building St. Elisabeth’s Episcopal Church in its original location in an area in the Raleigh neighborhood and remained members of the parish until their deaths.

The Scheibler’s children, Jim, and Beatrice grew up cherishing the land. Jim was inspired by the property’s beauty and every year bought 1,000 daffodils of a different variety and planted them at random on the property. Thousands of daffodils grow on St. Columba’s grounds every February and March. Beatrice married, moved to Mississippi, and eventually returned to the property to live with her brother after the death of her husband. The Scheiblers are buried at the center of the St. Columba campus.

Jim Scheibler and Beatrice Scheibler Gerber bequeathed the property to The Diocese of Tennessee in three parts.

The land was organized as the conference center for the Diocese in 1971 by the Rt. Rev. W. Fred Gates, Jr. Bishop Gates named the center after the Saint Columba, who founded a monastery on the Scottish isle of Iona that became a haven for spiritual renewal and refreshment. Bishop Gates thought the name was fitting for the Scheibler's beautiful property and envisioned St. Columba as "a refuge for reflection and prayer…a place where modern-day Christians can renew their spirit and faith and go forth with new zeal for ministry.”

The center was dedicated in May of 1982.

Leadership

  • Bruno Thomassiny

    Reservations and Marketing Manager

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  • SHELBY NOUSTENS

    Director of Operations

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  • Adam Cruthirds

    Director of Camps and Adventure

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  • MATTHEW AREHART

    Acting Executive Director

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  • Candice Baxter

    Assistant Director of Operations- Food Service

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  • Ashli King

    Head Chef

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News & Updates

Employment

CAMP EMPLOYMENT

YEAR-ROUND EMPLOYMENT

NO applications open at this time.

Always accepting applications for:

  • Dishwashers/Food Service Assistants

  • Cooks

  • Maintenance

  • Adventure guides

    Apply Online Now: Job Application

    St. Columba is a program of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee and uses the Diocesan Application for paper applications.