Tuscarora Inn & Conference Center
For the past few years around Labor Day weekend, my family and I went to Tuscarona, Pennsylvania for a church retreat. The church retreat is like a camp where you can worship God, have devotion to learn about God’s word, and pray. It is really a quiet and peaceful place, where you can feel God’s presence. For instance, when I was at the auditorium worshiping God, I felt goose bumps all over my body. The church retreat is an activity, that some members of the church created for everyone. The retreat is a place where you can take your family and friends. It’s a place where you can really connect with God. My family and I enjoyed going to the retreat. There are multiple lodging areas, with conference rooms, and several internal and external attractions.
I had the opportunity to live in multiple lodging areas during the time that I have visited that place. These areas are beautiful. The style of the homes is different from homes in New Jersey that I have seen. The main difference that between these houses is that the ceiling of the homes in New Jersey is made of flat, painted boards, while the ceiling of some of the homes that I saw in Pennsylvania have long logs. This was my first time I saw something like this, and I loved it. At the lodging areas we played games, such as uno, and dominoes, and we ate some appetizer, and sang karaoke. This house is very fancy. I believe that it is the best place in the entire Tuscarona Inn. When I first participated in the retreat, my family and I were assigned a room in Manor House. That room is very large, and it looks great. The bathroom is twice the size of other bathrooms that I have seen in the Tuscarona Inn. Plus, some parts of the bathroom walls are made of rocks. The wall of Manor House is also made of rocks. The ceiling of the Manor House is made like regular homes with a flat surface, but t’s not painted. What you see, is just lots of long logs. There is fresh air there, even when there is no air conditioner or a fan. It has a kitchen there, and a fridge, in case there is a need to cook something. It is a very relaxing place to be. Another lodging area that I have been in, was the Hillside Manor. This building is like a building in a school campus. It has 2 levels, with rooms 6 rooms in each level. The rooms are very large, and each room contains 2 beds, with lots of space left. The bathroom is very nice. This building is next to a hill, and there is a nice view if you look out at the window. Behind the Hillside Manor, is a place where they hosted the campfire. Which can last up to 2 hours. The last lodging area that I have been at was the “Cottages and Inn Rooms”. The “Cottages” are very simple, and they look like one single family house. The only thing they have is just a room and a bathroom, and there is nothing fancy in them compared to the other rooms. In those lodging areas, there are no special activities going on.
Regarding the conference rooms, there are at least 3 conference or meeting rooms in Tuscarona Inn. One is in Manor House, another one is a church, and the last one is the auditorium. We use the auditorium mostly to have the worship service. Some o he songs that they sang can be so powerful. Two of the songs that really get into me are “Worthy is the Lamb” by Micheal W. Smith and “Above All” by Micheal W. Smith. Those songs can make you feel so connected to God. Now, the conference room in Manor House has a small TV in the front section. This is where young adults or married couples attend their sessions. The married couples’ sessions were so nice, and I really loved it. The sessions lasted 3 days. The speaker was talking about how to raise our kids in this society, how to compromise with each other and respect each other, and things that we like about one another. The speaker also mentioned that every child is unique, and each one has a different personality. You need to approach these kids with kindness when you talk to them. Some kids have a strong will personality, and you are not careful how you communicate with them, you may think that these kids are disrespectful when they challenge your authority. You need to be patient, and love them unconditionally, if you want to have a strong bond with them as they get older.
There is also a gift shop and a convenience store, right next to each other. You can buy some souvenirs from the gift shop such as mugs, pins, t-shirts, magnets, bookmarks, etc. I bought a silver cup with a bible verse, that is very spiritual and inspiring. The bible verse was from Jeremiah 29:11, and it states, “I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give hope and a future.” Whether I am at home, or at work, this cup helps me to stay positive when I am going through something. When I see those words, they help me to gain strength because I know that God is with me, and He has a plan for me.
During our free time, we did some activities. I took my kids to the swimming pool, playground and soccer game. My oldest daughter was playing soccer, and my husband and I were able to watch her playing. Right after my oldest daughter finished playing soccer, I took my other kids to the swimming pool. They enjoyed being at the swimming pool, while my husband and my oldest daughter went to the manor house to play dominoes and Uno with their friends. I was too tired, so I decided to stay in the house with my other kids.
On a Saturday night, my husband took the kids to the campfire. They sang, chatted, ate marshmallows and crackers. I didn’t go to the campfire, because it’s too crowded. During the night, I stayed home with my youngest kids. I felt comfortable staying home at night, because I’m scared of snails, raccoons and bugs. I didn’t want to face any of them; therefore, I stayed inside the house. There are so many things to do and you won’t have time to talk on the phone nor watch television. Whenever I’m home at night, I would rather iron my clothes or my kid’s clothes.
Lastly, the dining room is beautiful. It has so many different rooms inside. It’s huge and very clean. We had some waitresses that served us. The waitresses came from other churches just to volunteer, but expect to receive a donation that will go towards a project that they are looking to be funded. We were able to meet and eat with other groups of people. We met people from different churches, races, and backgrounds. Each time we were about to eat, someone from another group would pray for the food. We started eating breakfast at 8:30, lunch at 12:30 and dinner at 5:30. Breakfast is my favorite, because they gave different options, such as pancakes, bagels, bacons, sauces, yogurt, fresh fruits, cereal, and oatmeal. I really didn’t like lunch and dinner. Therefore, I made sure to cook on my food and brought it to the retreat for the weekend. I was able to eat my own food, when dinner was not great.
The retreat at Tuscarona is one of the best places that I have been so far, mostly because it’s very quiet and welcoming. The place is not crowded because every group has its own conference rooms during their stay. This is a place that I would recommend to anyone who is in a church that needs a place to organize a retreat.
