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3300 River Road
Mount Bethel, PA 18343
(570) 897-6000
Christian retreat center for New Jersey and Pennsylvania marriage retreat, singles retreat, women's retreat and youth summer camp in Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania.
Would you be interested in submitting a piece for Tales of Tuscarora? We are always looking for stories to tell! Email lindsay@tuscarora.org
What an interesting year of ministry it has been at Tuscarora. In June, I shared with you the exciting but daunting news that Tuscarora would reopen and begin welcoming guests for summer. This decision meant operating with far less income and rethinking how we perform the ministry God has called us to. We also asked for your help to raise $500,000 by the end of the year.
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Dear friend,
It has been 57 days since we last had guests on the grounds of Tuscarora. Thinking back on March 15th, and watching the Couples’ Retreat guests head home, I don’t think anyone really understood the impact COVID-19 would have. Over those 57 days Tuscarora has lost over $1,000,000 in revenue through the spring, summer, and into the fall and we anticipate that loss will continue to increase as we welcome a smaller number of guests upon reopening.
Tuscarora has been blessed to find ways to minister during this time. The Tuscarora kitchen staff has worked alongside Upper Mount Bethel Township and Rustica Artisan Catering preparing and distributing 300 meals every Tuesday and Thursday, free of charge, to our local community. We made additional meals and visited local hospitals to deliver food to nurses, doctors, and other overnight staff. While the cost of food has been generously covered by donors – Tuscarora is happy to offer up the use of our facility and staff for no cost. It is a small way for us to make a big difference to so many. A small number of first responders and medical personnel were able to self-quarantine at Tuscarora during the last few weeks. We don’t believe these guests ever tested positive for COVID-19, and though the need has come to an end we know it was greatly appreciated by those who used it.
We believe there is still a way for Tuscarora to welcome guests this summer. If official recommendations allow the re-opening of the facility safely – we plan to do so. This decision is not without its challenges. The staff is working diligently to prepare the facility for the changes we will need to implement. We are developing and will begin using disinfecting procedures after check out which ensures the safety of each new guest. Our camp programs will follow an in depth triage procedure and the number of children and teens per room will be limited. We have installed plexiglass shields in the main office, dining room, Snack Shop, and Book and Gift Shop, installed touchless faucets in the main public restrooms, and ordered additional hand sanitizing stations for around the grounds. In an effort to keep gathering numbers low, we are also installing new technology which will allow us to livestream speakers and worship from the Senum Thompson Center to meeting rooms throughout the campus.
We take our responsibility as a place of hospitality and refreshment very seriously. When we set our official reopening date we will send out a detailed communication of all new guidelines and procedures so you can visit Tuscarora or send your children to camp this summer with confidence.
There is no way to know exactly what this next season will look like in the world or at Tuscarora. The preparations mentioned above come at great expense and we are incredibly thankful to our generous donors who have carried us through so far. Though we do not know what the future holds, our hope remains the same. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Sincerely in Christ,
Brian Abrahamsen
Executive Director
Dear friend,
Spring is one of the most beautiful times of year – both in the world and on the Tuscarora grounds. Nature wakes up from the long winter as the daffodils and magnolia trees bloom. This year is different and the Tuscarora family isn't here to see to see God’s creation come alive around the grounds. Church buildings were empty on Easter Sunday and people celebrated around screens in their homes. God has told us through His word, "My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in your weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Has there ever been a time in recent memory when we felt such a sense of weakness? I am thankful for this reminder that while our strength is inadequate, whether it is against coronavirus or other things, God's grace is sufficient.
We have made some difficult decisions regarding this spring at Tuscarora which have included cancelling the Annual Golf Classic, the Spring Midweek Retreat, and the Mother Daughter Retreat. We were so excited about the new day camp option for Junior Week, but have made the decision to postpone a day camp option until next year in order to keep each camper as safe and healthy as we can. At this time we have tentatively reschedule Spring Work Week for June 1-5 and we are cautiously optimistic that new volunteers may join us for a week of joyful hard work to clean up the Tuscarora grounds after the fall and winter. If you find yourself able to volunteer this year due to an adjustment to your circumstances we would love to have you join us – for more information please visit tuscarora.org/volunteer or call to register. We are hopeful and continue to pray that summer looks as normal as possible. We are planning to responsibly hold our programs and welcome groups for a time of retreat. We plan to follow the guidance provided by government and health officials, and we thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to evaluate.
We are continuing to think creatively about how we can serve during this time. We are welcoming guests who are first responders and medical professionals in need of quarantine facilities free of charge. We are using the kitchen as we partner with Rustica Artisan Catering and Upper Mount Bethel Township to provide free meals for community members. We hope you were able to watch the live Facebook concert “Songs of Hope” – if you missed it you can still enjoy by visiting this link. It is a blessing for Tuscarora to continue to carry out its mission of quality Christian hospitality though we cannot welcome guests in the traditional way. We are thankful for this opportunity to serve in Christ's name in these uncertain days.
Please continue to pray for Tuscarora. No one can know what life will look after this pandemic and we will need to rethink certain aspects of how we gather – from sharing rooms, to serving meals, and joining together in worship. One thing I am certain of is that God's power is made perfect in our weakness and we are committed to serving the Christian community. Thank you for your outpouring of support over the last few weeks whether it be through prayers, encouraging messages, or financial gifts.
Sincerely in Christ,
Brian Abrahamsen
Executive Director
Within the last few weeks your spring and summer brochure arrived in the mail – full of hope and excitement for the upcoming season at Tuscarora! The world has changed drastically since that printing, hasn't it? We know that unexpected circumstances allow the Lord to work in unexpected ways. I have been reminded often of the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Jesus Christ.” What a blessing to hold fast to this truth in the midst of uncertain times.
Gathering is at the heart of the ministry here at Tuscarora – we gather together to experience true connection with God and with each other. The pandemic keeps us from doing this very thing. Though Tuscarora is currently closed for business through April 30, and we have significant cancellations throughout May, we are doing everything we can to continue to minister to our community. We have opened our doors free of charge to first responders and medical professionals who need to be quarantined or are choosing to self-quarantine. In the coming days and weeks we will be providing messages of encouragement from close friends of Tuscarora on our social media channels along with pictures of our campus in spring bloom. We also invite you to follow along as we pray through Psalm 118.
While each day brings new information and we cannot say with certainty what summer will look like – we are being optimistic that we will be able to gather together again soon and are busy making plans for all of the summer programs. We are not alone in facing difficult financial situations and I want to thank those of you who have made special donations to Tuscarora during this time. Please continue to pray for wisdom for Tuscarora’s Board of Directors and the Management Team as we navigate these uncertain days.
Sincerely in Christ,
Brian Abrahamsen Executive Director
As I get older (almost 70) I pay more attention to the “jokes” and jabs rolling through our culture regarding the more mature of us (senior citizens). You know what I’m saying? Particularly prevalent is “repeating yourself”. I don’t think David, the writer of many of the Psalms had an age problem or a memory issue, but there are some of the Psalms where he repeated the same phrase or sentence many times in concurrent verses or at least in the same Psalm. Psalm 118 is one where David used repetition, and I believe the Holy Spirit led him to do that for emphasis and perhaps to help us focus on a truth longer than a fleeting moment.
The sentence he repeats is “his love endures forever”. David calls on the nation of Israel to say it, the priesthood family of Aaron to say it, those who fear the Lord to say it, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Why does he say it?
1. In a time of distress David called on the Lord and was heard and set free.
2. David recognized that God was truly on his side so he (David) refused to fear. He’d fear and revere God but not what others could do to him.
3. David was convinced that God preserved him no matter what his enemies tried to do.
4. He repeats that God is “on my side” and his helper.
5. David knows that God will give him victory in the end over all who hated him.
6. His conclusion is clear and true: “It is better to take refuge in God than to trust in man, even if the man is a prince (royal or powerful).
7. Then David goes repetitious again: “All nations surrounded me (surrounded me) (surrounded me) but God helped him “cut them off” (cut them off).
8. The Lord helped him just as he (David) was about to fall!
9. God is David’s strength, his song, his salvation.
10. David was kept alive to tell of the deeds of the Lord!
11. This is one a bit harder to see how a song would arise, but David was grateful that God disciplined him severely, but David didn’t die.
12. David now has the honor of walking through the gates open to the righteous in order to give thanks to the Lord. That is exactly what he is doing – giving thanks for the Lord God.
The next several verses are quoted in the New Testament so often that Psalm 118 is one of the two most quoted Psalms with Psalm 110.
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.”
As David closes he repeats for the last time, “His steadfast love endures forever.” (v. 29) He closes his praise with a very personal saying, “You are my God” and vows to thank and extol Him.
Would you take a few minutes or longer to remember some of what God our Father has done for you and make a list, speak the list out loud if you are where you can, and let your heart sing its own song of praise to God for what He has done. You know why, don’t you? Because “His steadfast love endures forever.” This is not just about David and 3,000 years ago. This is about now, yesterday, and about you and me. It is not hard to see why David is referred to as “a man after God’s own heart”. Don’t you think God was blessed to hear this come from David’s heart to us? Don’t you think God’s heart would be blessed to hear a similar song from you and me.
Apparently repetition is not a problem in some instances!
