Co-Operative Club’s History

Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, Norristown, PA has a history of members who are very caring people. When a need is discovered, God touches someone’s heart to initiate fulfilling that need.

In 1949, Edith B. Griffin was that chosen person who saw a need in our church kitchen.  She brought the need before the congregation.  Several dedicated women of the church volunteered to join in her efforts.  Their ready cooperation was the foundation of the name “The Co-Operative Club”.   It was originally formed to help make improvements to the church kitchen.  For over seventy years, the club has remained a group of women who see a need and take action. Through the years, they have raised money in a variety of ways to support their efforts.  

They have hosted fashion shows, dinners, and attended cultural affairs.  The first president was the late Catherine Fisher-Massey.  It is truly a Co-Operative Club, because the members never cease to wholeheartedly work in various activities. 

In the more recent years, the Co-Operative Club has been involved in donating Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to needy families of the community and Mt. Zion Church; provided Christmas luncheons for the Precious Stones, and implemented a project called “Help Support Mt. Zion’s Precious Stones’ members”. The purpose of this project is to give physical and spiritual support to senior members and to establish relationships through prayer and other means of communication.

During the club’s 2007-2008 season, former president, Edith Hunter-Custis envisioned a new project as a helping community mission, one of which would encourage young girls (5 to 13 years) to fulfill feminine attributes. The objective of the project was to help develop and strengthen the unique gifts and talents of the young girls and help them realize their potential to succeed no matter what the challenge may be. Given the name “Girls to Pearls”, the Co-Operative Club undergirded the group. Annually, the Club prepares and serves dinner to families of patients who reside at Hope Lodge Hospitality Center which is affiliated with Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia. 

As women with a vision, we are attempting to re-establish our long-standing goals - involvement and interaction with neighborhood community services, family outreach, single parents, and guidance for young women.  God being the creator, the sustainer and the owner of all things, He has made us stewards and overseers to share our talents and goods with all Christian leaders, sisters, brothers and church foundations.  “Love each other with brotherly affection and take delight in honoring each other.” Romans 12:10 (LWB).Monthly club meetings are scheduled on third Sundays following morning worship service in Louden Hall.