Mount Asbury seeks to:

• Provide a vital experience of Christian community where all people are valued as creations of God.
• Provide experiences that help develop and nurture lifestyles of caring for the common good.
• Help campers grow in their relationship with God, with each other, with creation, and with themselves.

Mount Asbury is affiliated by tradition and faith to the tenets of the United Methodist Church. It is one of four camps which are part of The Susquehanna Conference Camp & Retreat Ministries program.

All camps operated by The Susquehanna Conference United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries are open to everyone without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religious preference or ability. Our outdoor ministry is committed to serving all persons in order to provide a meaningful camp experience.

Guests renting solely the Gray House are responsible for all of their own meals.

Guests using the Asbury Lodge will take their meals in the dining room.

In order to complete the registration process you will need to bring the following items with you to the registration line on Check-In Day:

• Copy of your invoice showing payment in full
• Your camper’s completed health form (unless you have already mailed it in) and medications: All prescriptions should be in the original container with proper pharmacy labels for each camper attending and accompanied by the signed form.
• Up-to date contact information, personal information, and health information if any changes occurred after your initial registration for camp.

The camp store is open on opening day during check-in and on closing day during check-out. Some of the items we generally have available include t-shirts, hats, hoodies, jackets, water bottles, and post cards. Campers and their families are encouraged to stop by the store and check out the latest Mount Asbury at the beginning or end of the week!

Campers check-in all medicines with the Camp Nurse upon arrival into camp. Medications are dispensed at meal times by the Camp Nurse.

No medications are allowed in cabins (with the exceptions of inhalers for some campers with asthma, as well as epi-pens).

Campers who are not feeling well have the opportunity to visit the Camp Nurse. The Camp Nurse is available 24 hours a day for urgent medical situations. In the event that a camper spends the night in the Health Lodge or there is a serious situation, parents will be called.

Cabin counselors are trained to inspect campers daily for cleanliness, cuts, sunburn, insect bites, etc but teaching your child the importance and methods of prevention is extremely important.

If you are bringing prescription medication please bring them in their original containers.

At the end of the session, leftover prescription medications need to be picked up at the Infirmary during check-out. All unclaimed medications will be discarded at the end of the season.

Mount Asbury desires that every camper have a successful camp experience. Campers need to be able to follow group living guidelines and respond appropriately to counselors and staff for their safety and the well being of the entire camp community.

Camp rules are designed to enhance the happiness and safety of all campers. The Camp Dean or Mount Asbury will contact parents to let them know if there is any ongoing behavior problem. Campers who do not demonstrate appropriate behavior, in the judgment of the Dean or Site Director, will be sent home from camp. Early dismissal from camp will not warrant the refund of fees.

Camp & Retreat Ministry wants every child to have the opportunity to experience camp! We do have some financial aid available to make that possible. We generally request a three-way split between the camper family, the local church or faith community and the Camping Program.

You can apply for camperships (form) and find out more information here.

No parent wants their child to be the victim of a bully. We hope that no parent wants their child to be the one doing the bullying. Mount Asbury has definitely established practices to help identify, correct, and heal the practice of bullying when it exists in a cabin group, a camp group, or from one group to another. We have affirmed what the experts have said in that it is not limited to one socioeconomic group or even to one family situation. We have found this behavior exhibited in a variety of children/youth for an extreme range of reasons or no reason at all.

We are committed to creating a safe environment at camp where no child should have to fear another child. We are building practices to heal attitudes that produce peer on peer abuse. We have established practices of greater attention to campers during “down time” like flat time, after lights are out, and between activities. This problem is not limited to camp and does not begin at camp. We will work with campers, parents, and staff to build practices that eliminate this behavior. We need parental partners. We encourage you, as parents, to please let us know about any particular bullying concerns you may have for your child or any off-season, camp-related emails, instant messages, or text-messages that may have led to exclusion or meanness towards your child by somebody else in camp. We want to ensure that this problem can be managed by a strong partnership between our camps and your family.

Lost and found items are returned to the camper whenever possible.

Please make sure that all of your camper’s items are clearly marked with first and last names.

Lost and found is available for parents to look through on closing day. Any lost and found items that are unclaimed will be held for two weeks and then donated to charity. If items are left, please request their return. If they can be located they will be mailed back to the camper.

It is estimated that there are many Lost and Found items left behind by their owners each summer. Don’t let your luggage add to this avoidable number.

Another way to avoid lost and found items is to send your camper with a small bag to carry their personal items in around camp. A draw string bag or small book bag are popular choices. We also suggest you talk with your camper about making sure they keep track of their items.

Our staff help campers gather their items when leaving any location and are trained to help campers make sure they have everything that was theirs. Please make sure that your camper’s items are ALL clearly marked with their first and last names.

The camp takes photographs and videos of our programs in action. These are used for promotional purposes. If you object to having your child’s picture used in promotional materials, email us at camps@susumc.org indicating your preference.

From Interstate-81, take the "Newville" Exit #37. Turn onto Route 233 South (away from Newville), and travel for approximately 3.5 miles. Mount Asbury is on the right. Turn into the first driveway labeled, Lodge Parking.

Mailing Address for Campers & Staff

If you’d rather speak with someone, please call 717.486.3827 and leave a detailed message with your name, number, and question. We may not be in the office at the time you call, but we are committed to calling all back the same business day.