Upper Susquehanna Quarterly Meeting invites all Friends, members and attenders, along with families, seekers, nature lovers, and anyone interested in learning more about community, to gather for its annual Fall Family Gathering at Crystal Lake Camp in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, from Friday, September 25, to Sunday, September 27, 2026.
Under the theme Finding Your Rhythm, the weekend offers opportunities for worship, reflection, community building, music, recreation, and fun in an intergenerational setting.
Held at Crystal Lake Camp among the forests, hills, and farmland of northcentral Pennsylvania, the Fall Family Gathering brings together a Spirit-filled community, primarily from northeastern and northcentral Pennsylvania. Participants can take part in organized activities, spend time in nature, renew connections with old friends, meet new people, and enjoy a relaxed setting that offers space for both community and individual reflection.
Why This Gathering Matters
Whether you are a Friend attending for the first time or returning after many years, participants are invited into a community that values friendship, reflection, and time spent together in a beautiful natural setting.
The Fall Family Gathering serves as an opportunity to strengthen connections across the widely dispersed meetings of Upper Susquehanna Quarterly Meeting and invites other meetings to take part. The weekend is a space for worship, conversation, creativity, and rest while welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds to be in community.
Highlights
- Keynote presentation by Penn State educator Lisa Silvestri on building community.
- “Finding Your Song” improvisational music workshops and drum circle led by Tim Simmons.
- Reflective forest walk led by Beth Jones before meeting for worship on Sunday morning.
- Intergenerational craft workshop led by Holly Foy.
- Upper Susquehanna Quarterly Meeting will hold their business meeting for members and attenders of the quarter.
- Crystal Lake Camp is situated on a pristine natural lake surrounded by hundreds of acres of Pennsylvania woodland.
“The query during our planning sessions this year has been, ‘How can we best work together to develop a joyful, fruitful, rejuvenating, Spirit-filled gathering?’ It’s been a very cooperative and productive time together, so we hope that everyone who comes will feel each of those things. And it’s such a beautiful place!” said Andrea Henley Heyn, member of the Fall Family Gathering Planning Committee.
Registration Information
Registration is now open. Weekend registration includes lodging, meals, and programming.
Early registration rates are available through August 15:
• $75 per adult
• $45 per child
After August 15, rates increase to:
• $85 per adult
• $55 per child
Saturday-only registration is available for:
• $35 before August 15 and $40 after August 15 for adults
• $25 before August 15 and $30 after August 15 for children
Scholarships are available. Registration closes September 14, and housing assignments will be made after September 20.
Registration is available at:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/uppersusquehannafallfamilygathering/event/gather2026
For more information, contact Andrea Henley Heyn at andreahenleyheyn@gmail.com.
Friends planning a monthly or quarterly meeting event are welcome to contact Isaac Garrison at igarrison@pym.org for support writing a press release. Additional guidance, details, and next steps are available.
