Everyone remembers their first youth camp experience. I was thirteen, sitting on our church’s school bus, headed to none other than Refreshing Mountain. At the time, I was part of a youth group in Harrisburg, PA. As we got closer, our senses were...
ARCHIVE
Youth Retreats
9 Themes for Your Upcoming Youth Retreat
https://youtu.be/Hd0LEnhAGEc?si=mCV2Po37b8wEyD8W Are you searching for a fresh and meaningful theme for your youth retreat this year? At Refreshing Mountain, one of the trusted retreat and adventure centers in Pennsylvania, we know that a great...
Top 6 Tips for Planning a Retreat
Are you planning a retreat, but don’t know where to start? Here are some great tips from our staff to set your retreat planning up for success! 1. Know who you’re bringing Is it a youth retreat? A women’s retreat? It’s important to know your...
5 Adventurous Activities to Include in Your Retreat
How can you bring adventure to your retreat this year? At Refreshing Mountain, we love to answer the call of the wild with many of our activities found at Refreshing Mountain. Whether you are here just for the day with your group, or you are here...
25+ Great Themes for a Great Retreat
A thoughtful and well-developed retreat theme can be a great inspiration in helping people connect to what they have learned at your retreat. This connection strengthens the effect of the retreat and can create long-term spiritual growth and...
The Value of Investing in Overnight Retreats for Youth
Engaging the hearts and minds of your congregation's youth in new ways and keeping their attention isn't easy. While an overnight youth retreat can be costly, they make up for it by providing valuable and exciting experiences to young people. One...
6 Reasons for Teens to Unplug & Leave Social Media at Home
These are the basic facts of being a teenager at this point in history. Today, on average children spend 5 to 6 hours a day staring at screens and they are often on two screens at once. Studies have shown that excessive screen time can lead to...
Team Building Activities for Youth Groups
The middle school and teen years can be...well, challenging at best. Realistically, when we think back to our own adolescence, there's likely a cringe-worthy moment or two. Perhaps the worst part about being a teen is that they don't quite realize...
Ideas for Youth Retreats at Refreshing Mountain
If you’ve ever planned an excursion for a group of young people, you know how important it is to schedule enough fun events to keep them interested for the duration of the retreat. A trip to the 80-acre Refreshing Mountain retreat and outdoor...
11 Things to Consider Before Selecting a Location for Your Next Youth Retreat
Planning a youth retreat is a lot of work, but it's very rewarding for youth groups and youth leaders. These types of retreats create memories children will remember for a lifetime as they form strong bonds with one another around their shared...