Friends General Conference

Nurturing faith and Quaker practice

2013 Gathering FAQs

Questions about completing and paying registration

Questions about changing your registration form

Questions about Junior Gathering

  • Click here to see Frequently Asked Questions about Junior Gathering

Housing questions

Meals questions

My meeting has given me a scholarship. To whom do I send the check?

If you've already paid us a deposit, you can mail us the check from your meeting--or, you may simply bring it with you to the Gathering. If you expect your meeting's check to serve as your deposit, please mail it to the FGC office within 14 days of your registration.
Checks should be made out to "FGC Gathering," with a note in the memo line that includes the name of the registrant.

The FGC office mailing address is 1216 Arch St, 2B, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

I'm confused about the Family Program Fee

The Family Program fee is limited to members of families that meet all of these criteria.

  • three or more registrants consisting of:
    • one or two adults (if family includes three adults, one must register as an Individual).
    • and related children in the high school program or younger.

Members of your party who meet all these criteria will each choose from the Family Program Fee list. The first person registering will be an adult or young adult, and will choose one of the 1st Registrant options. This person will then be charged the $740 Family Program Fee. Subsequent Family registrants will choose other Registration Types form the Family Program Fee list, and they will not be charged an additional program fee. Any family members who do not meet all the criteria will choose an Individual Program Fee. Read examples.

What is the difference between Half-Time and Part-Time registrations?

Half-Time registrants may choose on campus housing and a meal plan.  There are only two half-time options: Sunday-Wednesday, or Wednesday through Saturday.  Read more about the Half-Time registration.

Part-time registrants may register for as little as one day.  There is no on campus housing for part-timers.  Meals are available at the cafeteria, and may be purchased upon arrival at campus.

Both Half-Time and Part-Time options are only available to adults. Children and high schoolers must be full-time registrants.

How do I enter my completed registration to change it?

Adding or changing information about financial aid or workgrant request? Please do NOT make changes in your registration form. Instead, email the new information to gathering@fgcquaker.org.

Option A (easiest method): Use link in primary registrant's confirmation email

  1. Follow the “Click here to view event summary” link from the primary registrant’s confirmation email
  2. Click “Already registered?”
  3. Enter Confirmation Number (it’s in your confirmation email)
  4. Click OK button
  5. Choose the “Modify” tab (next to “Confirmation” and under “My Registration”)
  6. Choose either the “Information” or the “Registration” links on far right for the appropriate person
    • “Information” is the first set of questions you answered, all the way up to financial aid
    • “Registration” is for the workshop and and fee-related choices you made, and the follow up questions
  7. Make desired changes
  8. Click NEXT Button until  you see a FINISH button
  9. Click FINISH

Option B: Use generic link to completed registration forms

  1. Follow this link for the Gathering event
  2. Click “Already registered?”
  3. Enter primary registrant’s name and email address, exactly as entered on the registration form
  4. Enter Confirmation Number (it’s in the primary registrant’s confirmation email, or you click on the request button)
  5. Click OK button
  6. Choose the “Modify” tab (next to “Confirmation” and under “My Registration”)
  7. Choose either the “Information” or the “Register” links on far right for the appropriate person
    • “Information” is the first set of questions you answered, all the way up to financial aid
    •  “Registration” is for the workshop and and fee-related choices you made, and the follow up questions
  8. Make desired changes
  9. Click NEXT Button until  you see a FINISH button
  10. Click FINISH

What is the minimum deposit?

If you have asked for financial aid (workgrant or scholarship), do not pay a deposit until your aid has been awarded.  At that time, a deposit of $75 per person (or the balance, whichever is less) will be due within 10 days.

If you have not asked for financial aid, your minimum deposit is the program fee total for all members of your party (e.g., $355 one adult over 35 years, or $785 for a family of three or more with no more than two adults).

How do I make a payment?

Mail a check payable to FGC Gathering.  Please include the name of primary registrant in the memo section.

FGC Gathering
1216 Arch St 2B
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Make a payment by credit card: Please minimize use of "reward" credit cards. FGC pays twice the fees when you use a reward credit card, especially Mastercard World Elite and Visa Signature Preferred cards. To help FGC minimize the fees it pays, whenever possible:

  • Make payments over $400 by check
  • Use a debit card instead of a credit card
  • Minimize use of “Mastercard World Elite” or “Visa Signature Preferred” reward cards. Regardless of the amount of payment, FGC always prefers a check to payments by these cards

To make a payment by credit card:

  1. Follow this link for the Gathering event
  2. Click “Already registered?”
  3. Enter primary registrant’s name and email address, exactly as entered on the registration form
  4. Enter Confirmation Number (it’s in the primary registrant’s confirmation email, or you click on the request button)
  5. Click OK button
  6. Click on the "Submit Payments" link at the top of the page (to the right of "Confirmation")
  7. Complete credit card information, and the "Distribute payment to Order Items" section
  8. Click "Submit Payment" button at the bottom of the page
  9. If your address does not fit the format provided, please call the Gathering office.

How do I change my workshop?

Read directions.

How can I get into a full workshop?

Because we offer many workshops at the Gathering and because we have a small staff, we are unable to maintain waitlists for workshops. There are two ways to get into a currently Full workshop:

(1) Monitor the Gathering workshops webpage. When the workshop you want no longer shows as FULL, email or call Gathering staff to request a change. We will then get back to you in a couple days to confirm whether or not you have been moved into your desired workshop. (Because workshop assignments are not instantaneous, if the web shows that a workshop is not full this does NOT guarantee that there will still be room open for you when you contact us.) After May 31, we will no longer accept workshop change requests in the Philadelphia office. The next opportunity to change your workshop will be at the Gathering itself.

(2) When you arrive at the Gathering, go to the Workshops table. The Workshops Committee will have up-to-date registration information for all workshops.

I just changed my registration.  Why is my bill wrong?

When you change a financial item (e.g., change from a single to a double room), the registration software adds the cost for the new item (the double) to your bill.  But it does not remove the cost for the old item (the single).  Staff has to do this manually.  After a few days, staff will email you a correct bill.  Thanks for your patience!

What is provided for dorm linens?

 Sheets, pillowcase, towel, wash cloth, mattress pad, pillow anda light blanket are provided for each bed.  No linens are provided for children on the floor.

Can parents/sponsors of High Schoolers camp at Greeley RV Park and Campground?

Because the campground is only two miles from campus, parents/sponsors of High School program participants may camp there IF the parent/sponsor commits to sleeping with their cell phone and ringer turned on AND has a way to quickly get to campus at any time.

What is the mailing address for conference registrants?

Please plan to have packages arrive no earlier than June 28.

We will post the package mailing address in June.

If I want to buy just a few meals in the dining center, what are the prices?

Everyone who has on-campus housing must have a meal plan.  However, one of those meal plans is "Prepare Your Own Food" in your own on-campus apartment, and those Friends may wish to buy some meals in the dining center.  Or you may choose to buy a two- meal plan and then wish to buy breakfast in the dining center.  Or you may be staying off campus and choose not to have a meal plan.

Friends may purchase meals in the dining room at these prices (ages 4-12 in parentheses). 

  • Breakfast $9.25 ($6.25)
  • Lunch    $12.75 ($7.75)
  • Dinner   $12.75 ($7.75)

Note that buying a meal plan is significantly less expensive than buying many meals on a cash basis.