About Us

Bedford Camp and Conference Center is a retreat facility with deep roots in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Our mission is to provide a wooded setting for faith formation, spiritual renewal, community building, leadership development, strategic planning and mentoring. The Camp’s ministry of hospitality helps participants of all generations to foster a deeper faith, discern their spiritual gifts and build relationships. In all of these ways we seek to connect people with God’s abundance.

What is currently known as Bedford Camp and Conference Center has a long and rich history spanning over 100 years. The camp is perched atop a picturesque, wooded, limestone bluff overlooking the East Fork of White River, and is situated about 1.25 miles northwest of the original county seat of Palestine and directly across the river from the historic Clara Barton Red Cross farm. The camp was built as a community country club in 1914. A few years later it became a YMCA camp known as Camp Gunaquot. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana purchased the site in 1951. Bedford-First Christian Church acquired the camp in 1972. Over the decades the camp has welcomed and enriched the lives of thousands of campers.

For years, the Christian Church in Indiana (Disciples of Christ) has used our site to host Youth Camp for children from its member churches. Our Camp Ministry remains an integral part of the covenant that binds us together with the Christian Church in Indiana. The camp continues to host Youth Camp and many other faith-based and secular youth and adult groups. While we are focused on our mission, our camp is open to anyone, not just religious-based groups. Our goal is to see our beautiful property benefit as many people as we can in as many ways as possible.