#GivingTUSCday - November 27, 2018

Did you know that November 27th was a great day for Tuscarora? Yes, it was Giving Tuesday, but on our grounds it was Giving TUSCday. It was a day for the Tuscarora family to come together and achieve two very lofty goals.

With two matching gifts from a generous donor we challenged our supporters to raise $15,000 from 150 people. Little did we know that by the end of the day we would have far surpassed those goals!

We received $24,199 from 187 donors. With our matching gifts that totals $54,199.

Because of your overwhelming support, lives will continue to be touched through rest, relaxation, and refreshment. Guests will continue to step away from the distractions of life to experience true connection with God.

Because of you, work will continue to be done on our facilities to ensure we can provide a second home to every heart that needs it. Because of you, this summer students who can't afford Junior Week and Teen Week will get to experience hearing the gospel - many for the first time!

Because of you, the future of Tuscarora is being built today.

Below, watch the stories of Herb Jacobsen, Sabrina Rodriguez, and Paul and Rachel DiQuattro who believe in Tuscarora.

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If you missed Giving Tuesday and want to support Tuscarora we can still use your help! Visit tuscarora.org/giving to learn more!

#IHeartTusc

In this season of giving thanks we remember everything we have to be thankful for. We are thankful for our guests, our supporters, and our extended family near and far. Last week, many of you shared the reasons you love Tuscarora with us on Facebook! We’ve compiled some of them below.

Do you love Tuscarora? Visit us on Facebook and tell us why!

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“I’m so thankful for Tuscarora giving me space as a young man to dive into God’s Word and journey with Him.”

— Pastor Jason Lang

“Experienced Tuscarora through Junior Week, Teen Week, Leisure Week, summer staff and counseling. I think the most fun is watching my kids and nieces/nephews enjoying all the same places and activities that I grew up with. They feel that same anticipation when summer hits.”

— Sarah Sarine Johnson

“Tusc is such a special place to me. It’s where I was saved when I was seven years old at, where I looked forward to going summer after summer and winter weekend after winter weekend to foster so many friendships. It’s where my heart grew for the Lord and where I counseled for four summers of Teen Week to encourage others to grow towards to Lord. Tusc is such a special place that the Lord has used time after time again.”

— Hannah Mertz

“Tusc is the one place I’ll always love no matter what. It changed my life through all the opportunities I’ve been given to counsel here. And because of that I’ve made so many friends. It’s a place where you might only see each other once a year but that’s still enough.”

— Caleb Lee

“Thankful for a place that facilitates and encourages growth in learning more about our Heavenly Father! Every Teen Week has been nothing but a blessing and the friendships that have been forged there I know will last a life time!”

— Corey Saunders

“Tubing, riding bikes, card games in the lobby when it rains, music, friends and family..the list goes on and on...have loved Tusc for so many years (family, junior and teen weeks, counseling and summer staffing) and now I get to see my kiddos love it too!”

— Andrea Sarine Kay

“I have loved Tuscarora since I was a child. The friendships I’ve made there and most importantly, I met Jesus there! Such a blessing.”

— Anne Jensen Frustol

“Tuscarora feels like home to me from all my memories over the years. I live in WV and wish Tuscarora wasn’t so far away from me. I know my nephews have enjoyed Teen Week and Junior Week. I can’t wait for my kids to get the chance to experience camp at Tuscarora!”

— Becky Miller

“Anytime I think of Tuscarora... I think of the wonderful, uplifting, peaceful, joyful, loving feeling I experience from the staff, the guests... and God’s presence.”

— Georgette Poukamissas

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If you love Tuscarora, and are interested in making a difference, visit tuscarora.org/givingtuesday to learn about how your impact can be doubled on November 27th!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It’s November, and Starbucks and Brian Abrahamsen say it’s the Christmas season! We know plenty of people are opposed to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but here at Tuscarora we can’t help but start feeling festive as we plan for our Christmas Weekend!

In order to help you celebrate, Brian has put together a playlist for you to enjoy! Barely a day goes by during November and December without Christmas music drifting out of his office.

Listen on Spotify, or see his suggestions here!

Brian Abrahamsen

Executive Director

As I put this list together, there were definitely songs I resisted including. Songs like, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer or Dominick the Donkey. I love songs that focus on the true reason for Christmas, but I also love the fun songs about the season like Sleigh Ride and Christmas Waltz. Songs that celebrate all the ways we enjoy the festivities.

Anyone who knows me, knows that Amy Grant and Christmas music are synonymous, so she is very fairly represented here. But more than anything, Christmas is a season of remembering Christ’s birth, and all the amazing ways we celebrate - including my Norwegian heritage. I hope you enjoy my Christmas playlist!

Christmas Waltz - Michael W. Smith

Christmas Time is Here - Sarah McLachlan, Diana Krall

Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) - Amy Grant

Mary, Did You Know? - Pentatonix

O Holy Night - Josh Groban

Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) - Chris Tomlin

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams

Grown-Up Christmas List - David Foster, Natalie Cole

Drummer Boy - Jars of Clay

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - Harry Connick Jr.

“O Holy Night is my favorite traditional Christmas song. Anybody except for me can sing this song and it would be beautiful - and Josh Groban’s always stands out for me.”

O Come All Ye Faithful - Amy Grant

Away in a Manger - Casting Crowns

Jeg Er Så Glad Hver Julekveld - Evie

“This is the first Christmas song in Norwegian that I learned. I have great memories of walking around the Christmas tree in Hillside Church singing it, as well as in junior choir. There are other Norwegian songs that I know but this one always bring back a special memory.”

Just Another Christmas - Laura Story

What Child Is This - Michael W. Smith, Martina McBride

Gloria - Michael W. Smith

Joseph’s Lullaby - MercyMe

“As a father, I love that MercyMe chose to write a song from Joseph’s perspective. He’s calming his newborn baby son because he knows that the road ahead will be a tough one, but right now wants him to go to sleep.”

Sleigh Ride - Amy Grant

Volunteers - More Than Just Visitors

Volunteer: a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service: someone who freely offers to do something.

Staining the Cedar Chalet deck!

Rebuilding the Inn Rooms!

The faces that we see year to year, become so familiar that we sometimes expect them to be here during these work weeks at Tuscarora, but these faces are more than just repeat visitors… they represent hearts changed, lives turned around, and relationships restored. These faces represent years of service, offerings and dedication. These faces are people who have taken time to give love and care to a place that has made a difference in their lives.

Deep cleaning the dining room chairs.

What would we do without them? We can tell you that Tuscarora wouldn’t be here without the willing hearts and hands. They give up time away from their routine, their lives, their families and offer to be here for these weeks of hard work. From scrubbing chairs to rebuilding entire rooms, these volunteers put their best work into the projects during Work Week.

Deep cleaning happens outside as well!

We can also tell you that the volunteers are not just here because they like the meals here (although, they are delicious), the comfy beds, or the beautiful grounds. They return because there is a God who changed their lives - whether it was in their childhood or just recently. God works in wonderful ways and has put on the hearts of certain wonderful people to come and volunteer at Tuscarora!

Reinforcing the deck outside of Cottage 9 and 10.

Tuscarora schedules two weeks of designated Work Weeks each year - once in the spring, before the busyness of summer programs and then again in the fall.

This fall we are working on a couple of very exciting updates as well as the all-important task of cleaning and refreshing different buildings.

The staff at Tuscarora are incredibly honored and grateful that our Living God sends us smiling faces when we need them the most. Thank you to our volunteers who serve so faithfully and willingly.

Hebrews 6:10 - God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

I Want to Live Like That

Reuben Scheeringa

Pastor of Student Ministries at Grace Church on the Mount

There are those that might say that Paul was one of the greatest Christians to ever walk the face of the earth.  He wrote most of the New Testament, planted many churches throughout Asia Minor, and went on three missionary journeys. He spent time in prison, was beaten, and was ship wrecked, all for the cause of Christ.

In the book of Philippians, Paul is writing to a church from prison.  It is the only letter that he wrote that did not contain a reprimand.  In fact, Paul mentioned the word “joy” over 13 times.  It is hard to understand utilizing the word “joy” from prison.  In Philippians 1: 12, 19-21, Paul says, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel . . .  For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

How did Paul live like this?  In Chapters 1-4 he tells us.  In Chapter 1, we see Paul living with such great purpose.  Paul understood that we can either surrender to our circumstances, or we can surrender to a cause so great, that our circumstances do not matter. I want to live like THAT.

In Chapter 2, Paul speaks of the most humble man that ever walked the face of the earth.  Starting in verse 5 he says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Paul understood that without humility, we cannot truly represent Christ.  I want to live like THAT.

In Chapter 3: 2-, Paul teaches us the true nature of salvation.  It is here where Paul says some very difficult things as their loving Pastor.   

“Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh - though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

— Philippians 3:2-11

Paul states what we do matters not; it’s really all about who we know . . . Jesus.  I want to live like THAT.

And, finally, in Chapter 4: 11-13, Paul shows us the true currency of life, contentment. “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

How can Paul be so content?  Clearly, it’s in Christ. Paul learned contentment can make the poorest people rich and discontentment can make the richest people poor. I want to live like THAT.

Paul was a man of purpose, humility, salvation, and contentment. How does a man live like that? In Christ alone.

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If you are a youth pastor or leader looking for a dynamic winter retreat for your students, learn more about Tundra at Tuscarora here.