In 1978 a National Ethnic Committee was established, following on the work of a Task Force on Minority Ministries (authorized by the Division executive, March 1972) and two conferences. Its mandate included: to give greater visibility to this work; to provide support to ethnic congregations; to liaise with Conferences and Presbyteries re the development of new ethnic congregations; to inform Presbyteries of the work of this committee.
In 1982, the National Ethnic Committee organized a National Ethnic Convention, held in Hamilton, Ontario. They also formulated new Guidelines for Ethnic Ministry to be submitted to the 29th General Council.
In 1987 the National Ethnic Committee asked the Division to replace the Committee with the Ethnic Ministries Working Unit.
The Ethnic Ministries Working Unit was established in 1988 as a successor to the National Ethnic Committee with the purpose of raising the profile of ethnic members within the Church as well as raising the profile of the church among the various ethno-cultural communities in Canada. More specifically the role of Program Unit 6 (Ethnic Ministries) was to support the work of minority congregations, develop resources and policies to further their life and vision, orientate ethnic congregations to United Church policy and structure, and help the larger church to relate positively to ethnic congregations, 1994. (Note: No longer a program unit in the 1995 yearbook).
In 1991, the Ethnic Ministries Convention in Montreal adopted a motion to petition the 34th General Council to establish a national-cross-Divisional task group on Ethnic Ministries to do a feasibility study towards the establishment of a “Division of Ethnic Ministry” or some other national structure. A petition for this was accepted by the 34th General Council and a Feasibility Task Group on Ethnic Ministries was created. The Task Group produced “The Proposed Model for the Ethnic Ministries Council of the United church of Canada” at the 35th General Council, the resolution on the Proposed Model for the Ethnic Ministries Council was almost unanimously accepted.
Series contains six subseries: 1) Staff and Office Files, 1975-1995, 2) Minutes, 1987-1994, 3) National Ethnic Committee, 1974-1988, 4) National Ethnic Convention, 1982-1994, 5) Multicultural Panning Committee, 1989-1993.