Parent Body 

The purpose of the WH&OM Society is to:  promote growth in the knowledge and understanding of God and His plan of redemption for the world, as revealed through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit; teach the concepts of Christian missions and provide experiences for participation in mission work and its ministries; exemplify the principles of Christian living and to win others to Christ; promote the cause of World Evangelism; and serve as a financial support system to undergird the world mission outreach of the AME Zion Church at home and overseas, to the end that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ is exalted and God is glorified.  It is composed of six departments serving every age group in the church.

The Young Adult Missionary Society (YAMS) 

The purpose of this department is to (1) Unite women, ages 22-40, of the AME Zion Church for mission service in the church and community.  Among the prime objectives will be social concerns such as child abuse, teenage pregnancies, drug dependency, world hunger, etc; (2) Provide an opportunity for the personal and individual Christian growth of members; (3) Provide an opportunity for Christian witness through the use of their time, talent, and treasure to support the mission; (4) Provide experiences that will enable Young Adult Missionaries to perpetuate the existence and continued growth of the Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society and the AME Zion Church.

The Youth Missionary Society

The Youth Missionary Society, formerly called the Young Women’s Missionary Society was organized in 1909 in Salisbury, NC by its founder and first General Secretary, Miss Victoria Richardson.  It was adopted in May 1912 in Charlotte, NC.  We honor and recognize Miss Victoria Richardson Day on the second Sunday each January which is closest to her birthday which is 12 January.  The Y’s Society was organized to give the opportunity and privilege for young ladies to serve others.  Young men are now allowed to become honorary members; however, they have no voting privileges and may not hold an office position.

The Buds of Promise   

The Buds of Promise are the Juvenile Society of the WH&OM Society.  The mission of the WH&OM Society is to establish Christian learning environments and experiences for all children (ages 1 through 12) through Mission Education.  These experiences will enable each child to acquire the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes that are essential to his/her spiritual development as an individual and are necessary for the attainment of a meaningful life.

The Bureau of Supply

The purpose of the department is to solicit funds and supplies for home and overseas work.

The Life Members Council

The Life Members Council is one of the most exciting departments in the Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society!  This department captures the hearts and interests of men, women, boys and girls from across the width and breadth of Zion.  The purpose of the department is to organize all Life Members, Matrons, Patrons, and Honorary Life Members into a local council.  An investment in this department is an investment in the lives of Zion’s greatest resource: Her People!

This ministry will focus on God’s healing, restoration and transformation of the lives it encounters in ministry.  The focus of the Bureau of Evangelism will be expanded to focus on lifting up Christ so that those considered outsiders can be drawn to Him in very tangible and concrete ways.  The scope of this ministry will include addressing issues of poverty, homelessness, addiction, and incarceration.  Though not clinicians, we are Christians, and this ministry will do all that it can to live out the mission mandate modeled by Jesus Christ

For the promotion of the spiritual interests of the Church, and for the relief of mission charges, and preachers in underserved communities, the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church directs that there shall be an organization in our church known as the Home Missions Board.  In each church there shall be a Home Mission Society organized by the pastor for the purpose of fostering the Home Mission’s Cause.  This person is to organize other willing workers to develop fundraising methods to contribute to the building, upkeep and maintenance of the physical structures of sister churches in the Philadelphia-Baltimore Conference.