Precursor Conferences (pre-1900)

First Day School Conference

  • 1868 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1869 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1870 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1871 New York, NY
  • 1872 Baltimore, MD
  • 1873 Richmond, IN
  • 1874 Mt. Pleasant, OH
  • 1875 Pickering, Ontario, Canada
  • 1876 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1878 Baltimore, MD
  • 1879 New York, NY
  • 1881 Clear Creek, IL
  • 1883 Waynesville, OH
  • 1884 Mt. Pleasant, OH
  • 1886 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1888 Yarmouth, ON, Canada
  • 1890 Pendleton, IN
  • 1892 Lincoln, VA
  • 1894 Chappaqua, NY
  • 1896 Swarthmore, PA
  • 1898 Richmond, IN
  • 1900 Chautauqua, NY

Friends Union for Philanthropic Labor

  • 1882 Waynesville, OH
  • 1883 Baltimore, MD
  • 1884 Mt. Pleasant, OH (w/FDSC)
  • 1886 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1888 New York, NY
  • 1890 Pendleton, IN
  • 1892 Lincoln, VA
  • 1894 Chappaqua, NY
  • 1896 Swarthmore, PA
  • 1898 Richmond, IN
  • 1900 Chautauqua, NY

Friends Religious Conference

  • 1893 Chicago, IL
  • 1894 Chappaqua, NY
  • 1896 Swarthmore, PA
  • 1898 Richmond, IN
  • 1900 Chautauqua, NY

Friends Educational Conference

  • 1894 Chappaqua, NY
  • 1896 Swarthmore, PA
  • 1898 Richmond, IN
  • 1900 Chautauqua, NY

Young Friends Associations

  • 1894 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1895 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1895 Trenton, NJ
  • 1896 New York, NY
  • 1897 Newtown, PA
  • 1898 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1899 Woodstown, NJ
  • 1900 Philadelphia, PA
  • 1900 Chautauqua, NY
  • 1900 Abington, PA

Biannual Conferences (1900-1962)

The precursor Conferences were officially joined together to create Friends General Conference at Chautauqua, New York in 8th Month, 1900. The locations of the Conferences since then follow:

  • 1900 Chautauqua, NY
  • 1902 Asbury Park, NJ
  • 1904 Toronto, ON
  • 1906 Mountain Lake Park, MD
  • 1908 Winona Lake, IN
  • 1910 Ocean Grove, NJ
  • 1912 Chautauqua, NY
  • 1914 Saratoga, NY
  • 1916 Cape May, NJ
  • 1918 Not Held
  • 1920 Cape May, NJ
  • 1922 Richmond, IN
  • 1924 Ocean City, NJ
  • 1926 Ocean City, NJ
  • 1928 Cape May, NJ
  • 1930 Cape May, NJ
  • 1932 Cape May, NJ
  • 1934 Cape May, NJ
  • 1936 Cape May, NJ
  • 1938 Cape May, NJ
  • 1940 Cape May, NJ – Building for the World of Tomorrow
  • 1942 Cape May, NJ
  • 1944 Cape May, NJ
  • 1946 Cape May, NJ
  • 1948 Cape May, NJ
  • 1950 Cape May, NJ
  • 1952 Cape May, NJ
  • 1954 Cape May, NJ
  • 1956 Cape May, NJ
  • 1958 Cape May, NJ
  • 1960 Cape May, NJ
  • 1962 Cape May, NJ

Annual Gatherings (1963-present)

In 1963, the Conferences began to be held annually. In the late 1970s, in order to order to make room for emphasis on the other important work of Friends General Conference, the annual conference began to be called the Gathering.

  • 1963 Traverse City, MI
  • 1964 Cape May, NJ
  • 1965 Traverse City, MI
  • 1966 Cape May, NJ
  • 1967 Stephens College Columbia, MO
  • 1968 Cape May, NJ
  • 1969 Wilmington College Wilmington, OH
  • 1970 Ocean Grove, NJ – You will say, Christ saith this, and the apostles say this, but what canst thou say?  Art thou a child of Light and hast walked in the Light, and what thou speakest, is it inwardly from God?
  • 1972 Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
  • 1973 Earlham College, Richmond, IN
  • 1974 Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
  • 1975 Berea College, Berea, KY – Spirit into Life
  • 1976 Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY – Discovering Quaker Ways of Life
  • 1978 Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY – The Future: What Does the Lord Require…?
  • 1979 Earlham College, Richmond, IN – Nurturing the Seed
  • 1980 Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY – Here Am I!  Send Me
  • 1981 Berea College, Berea, KY
  • 1982 Slippery Rock, PA (Slippery Rock State College) – Living Our Faith Together
  • 1983 Slippery Rock, PA (Slippery Rock State College) – The Way is Open!  Let the Spirit Move
  • 1984 Canton, NY (St. Lawrence University) – The Future is NOW
  • 1985 Slippery Rock, PA (Slippery Rock State College) – Community: Unity with Diversity
  • 1986 Northfield, MN (Carleton College) – Many Roads, One Journey
  • 1987 Oberlin, OH (Oberlin College) – And This Shall Be Our Charge: To Listen, To Minister, To Witness
  • 1988 Boone, NC (Appalachian State University) – Nurturing the Tree of Life: Cultivating Justice, Healing, and Peace
  • 1989 Canton, NY (St. Lawrence University) – Currents of Faith, Wings of Vision
  • 1990 Northfield, MN (Carleton College) – A Time to Mend
  • 1991 Boone, NC (Appalachian State University) – Growing in Radical Faith
  • 1992 Canton, NY (St. Lawrence University) – Live Love
  • 1993 Stillwater, OK (Oklahoma State University) – Riding the Wind of Spirit
  • 1994 Amherst, MA (University of Massachusetts) – Living the Spirit, Listening, Acting
  • 1995 Kalamazoo, MI (Western Michigan University) – Gathering the Light
  • 1996 Hamilton, ON, Canada (McMaster University) – Journeys in Truth
  • 1997 Harrisonburg, VA (James Madison University) – Be Open, Be Transformed, Be Faithful
  • 1998 River Falls, WI (University of Wisconsin) – Strength to Lead, Faith to Follow
  • 1999 Kalamazoo, MI (Western Michigan University) – On Holy Ground, In Holy Times
  • 2000 Rochester, NY (University of Rochester) – Deep Roots, New Growth
  • 2001 Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech) – Stillness: Surrounding, Sustaining, Strengthening
  • 2002 Normal, IL (Illinois State University) – To Be Gathered Still
  • 2003 Johnstown, PA (University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown) – Coming to Peace
  • 2004 Amherst, MA (University of Massachusetts) – Simple Lives, Radiant Faith
  • 2005 Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech) – Weaving the Blessed Tapestry
  • 2006 Tacoma, WA (Pacific Lutheran University) – Swimming in Living Waters
  • 2007 River Falls, WI (University of Wisconsin) – “…But Who Is My Neighbor?”
  • 2008 Johnstown, PA (University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown) – Courageously Faithful
  • 2009 Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech) – Wings of Joy, Fire of Love, Rooted in Spirit
  • 2010 Bowling Green, OH (Bowling Green State University) – Accepting Gifts of the Spirit
  • 2011 Grinnell, IA (Grinnell College) – Meeting at the Center
  • 2012 Kingston, RI (University of Rhode Island) – All God’s Critters Got a Place in the Choir
  • 2013 Greeley, CO (University of Northern Colorado) – At the Growing Edges of Our Faith
  • 2014 California, PA (California University of Pennsylvania) – Let Love Be the First Motion
  • 2015 Cullowhee, NC (Western Carolina University) – Seeking Wholeness
  • 2016 St. Joseph, MN (College of St Benedict) – be humble, Be Faithful, BE BOLD
  • 2017 Niagara Falls, NY (Niagara University) – Ripples Start Where Spirit Moves
  • 2018 Toledo, OH (University of Toledo) – The Power of Truth
  • 2019 Grinnell, IA (Grinnell College) – Peace in our Hearts, Justice in the World
  • 2020 virtual – Sink Down To The Seed Sown In the Heart
  • 2021 virtual – Way Will Open
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