The Division of World Outreach was created by General Council in 1972 out of the Board of World Mission and became operational in July 1973 . The new Division promoted mutuality in mission and interdenominational cooperation; it divided its administrative framework into geographic areas, including Africa, Asia, Latin America and Caribbean, South Asia and Pacific.

The Division, established in 1972, was one of the five divisions of the General Council of The United Church of Canada. It was the primary arm through which the national church developed programs to support the ministry and mission of the people within Canada. It was administered by a Secretary and made up of two departments, Christian Development and Church in Society.

The work of each Department was supervised by a Deputy Secretary. Associate Secretaries and Special Assistants, relating to one of the above departments, looked after the programmed of the Division. As early as 1973, a Committee on Style of Operations reported the dissatisfaction with the separation of the Division into two departments. An Organizational Design Task Force was established in 1974 to recommend structural changes. It reported in 1974 and its work was continued by two other related Task Groups up to the first major reorganization of the Division in 1977. By 1977, the departments were replaced by offices with operation run by more autonomous Working Units. The overall planning and screening of the work would be done by Functional Units.

In 1989, the Division restructured some 47 working units, sub-units, and committees into five new program units: Program Unit 1 (Children, Youth, Adults and Family Ministries); Unit 2 (Worship, Mission and Evangelism); Unit 3 (Human Rights, Participation and Lay Organizations); Unit 4 (Economic Justice and Social Well-Being); Unit 5 (Environment, Peace and Rural Life). Small functional groups, clusters, were created within each unit. Each program unit and committee was represented in the Executive.

In 2001, following the re-design and re-organization of General Council offices, the work of the Division was re-apportioned to the following working units: Support to Local Ministries Unit, Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit and Faith Formation and Education Unit.

The Division grew out of the Board of Colleges and an expanded vision of vocation in the church, and was established in 1971 to serve the personnel, educational and vocational needs of the Church. Of particular interest to the Division was the role of pastoral work, chaplaincy in institutions, continuing education for clergy and lay supplies, theological education, recruitment, summer supplies, and special training programmes.

Under the major reorganization of General Council units in 2001, the mandate of the Division of Ministry Personnel and Education was moved to two units: Faith Formation and Education (FFE) and Ministry and Employment Policy and Services (MEPS).

The Division of Communication was officially formed January 1, 1968, amalgamating the Board of Publication with some operations of the Board of Information.

The Board of Women became operational in 1961, as the Woman's Missionary Society was disbanded, with the goal of deepening women's knowledge of and participation in the mission of the Church. More specifically the Board was to supervise and promote the organization of women at the congregational, Presbytery and Conference levels through the development of the United Church Women. This included leadership development, mission, worship and development of resources such as Clip Sheet, an irregular issue-oriented publication, and reports from the Reading and Viewing Committee. In addition, the Outreach Committee attempted to inform women in the Church about social and economic issues affecting Canadian society including drug abuse, poverty, single parent families and native Canadians. In some fashion the Board revived aspects of the home mission activity of the Woman's Association, with committees on Christian Citizenship and Social Action, Community Friendship and Visitation, and Leadership Development.

The Board included a Chairman, Secretary and Associate Secretaries, as well as representatives of several Boards of the Church and of the Conference United Church Women. In 1964 the Board became part of the Division of Congregational Life and Work while maintaining its independence of action. The Board was was absorbed into the new Division of Mission in 1972. The Secretaries were Anne I. Ward, 1961-1969; and K. Harriet Christie, 1970-1972.

The Board of Men was established in 1954 as a successor to the National Committee of United Church Men, itself a successor to the Committee on Lay Activities. In 1964 the Board became part of the Division of Congregational Life and Work while maintaining its independence of action. It was absorbed into the Division of Mission in Canada in 1972.

Its purpose was to lead laymen into a deeper spiritual life and involvement with the Church's work and programmes. A main function was to promote the formation of men's groups, not only by working with existing United Church Men's clubs, fellowships, and brotherhoods in the pastoral charges, but also by working with newly created United Church Men's Councils at the Presbytery and Conference levels. The goal was to integrate all men's work programmes, in particular by bringing the Western Canada-based AOTS men's club movement fully into the Board structure. This was accomplished in stages: first by making the AOTS National Council a department of the Board (since 1952), then by changing this department into a more integrated National Association of United Church AOTS Men's Clubs in 1959, and finally by making this the Men's Club Committee (more directly responsible for all types of U.C. men's clubs) of the Board in 1964. The first National Conference of United Church Men was held in Muskoka, Ont., in 1953, and became an annual event; annual national conferences were also held in Western Canada (Banff) starting in 1955, and in Atlantic Canada from 1964. The Board had additional responsibilities for leadership development (Elders and Stewards Schools), "Christianity and Daily Work" concerns, and for producing pamphlets, booklets, national newsletters, and printed materials for Laymen's Sunday. It worked co-operatively with many Church departments and agencies, particularly in the areas of recruiting Church workers and lay employees, Boy's and Youth Work, the Lay School of Theology, Lay Foundations for assisting theological students, and Operation Crossroads Africa.

Secretaries of the Board were: Ralph C. Young, 1954-1961; Donald Cameron (Acting Secretary), 1961-1964; Ralph F. Wilson, 1965-1969; and Donald G. Smith (Associate Secretary), 1970-1972.

The Dominion Commission (officially "The Commission appointed pursuant to The United Church Act, chapter 100 of the Statutes of Canada, 1924") was formed to enable the distribution of property between the United Church of Canada, which about 70% of Presbyterian Churches in Canada joined, and the remaining "non-concurring" Presbyterian Church.

Nipawin Pastoral Charge was originally formed as a United Church Mission Field, in 1925, which soon became an aid-receiving Pastoral Charge (ca. 1926), part of Prince Albert Presbytery. Early preaching points included Nipawin, Codette, Sunny Brook and Moose Plains. By 1932, the latter two had been replaced by Dartmoor and Elkhorn. As of 1962, the charge consisted of Nipawin, Codette and Elkhorn, though the latter point would eventually drop and by the early 1990s, the charge would be re-named Nipawin-Codette Pastoral Charge. On January 1, 2006, Nipawin-Codette amalgamated with Torch River to form Bridging Waters Pastoral Charge.

Canora Ruthenian (later Ukranian) Pastoral Charge was formed as an augmented United Church charge in 1925, part of Kamsack Presbytery and consisting of appointments at Canora (St. Stephen's), Gorlitz, Rhein, Hyas, Hampton, Norquay, and White Sands. By 1940, Hyas had moved to Pelly Pastoral Charge and points at Bear Stream, Danbury, Glen Elder, Kamsack, and Rama had been added. As of 1962, only St. Stephen's (Canora), Gorlitz and Swan Plain remained in the charge -- which appears to have closed around 1964.

Lumsden Pastoral Charge was formed as a new United Church charge in 1925, part of Regina Presbytery and consisting of preaching points at Lumsden (St. Andrew's), Forest and Wascana. Predecessors included Forest Rural [Presbyterian] Church (from ca.1880s, in what was then Carssdale, SK), Lumsden St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (ca.1890s?), Wascana Rural [Methodist] Church (ca.1888), and Lumsden Wesley Methodist Church (ca.1897). The congregation at Forest amalgamated with Lumsden in 1957 and Wascana Rural closed in 1961, with some of that congregation also joining Lumsden. Around 1970, Craven was added to the Pastoral Charge, though this church eventually closed, December 31, 1991. The Pastoral Charge remained (consisting of St. Andrew's United Church) through the 1990s and moved from Regina Presbytery to the new Wascana Presbyery, in 2000. As of 2019, the charge became part of Living Skies Regional Council, along with other Saskatchewan charges remaining.

Herschel Pastoral Charge was formed as a new United Church charge in 1925, part of Kindersley Presbytery. By 1926, it consisted of preaching points at Herschel, Winona, and Spring Lake. In the 1930s, Winona left the charge, while Wiggins and Kingsland joined it. Sometime between 1946 and 1951, the charge joined with Fiske to form Herschel-Fiske Pastoral Charge, with points at Anglia, Fiske, Herschel, and McGee. Around the mid-1950s, the name had returned to Herschel Pastoral Charge, as of 1962, made up of Herschel, Anglia and Stanraer. Eventually, only the Herschel congregation was left and, as of September 15, 2018, Herschel Pastoral Charge itself officially closed.

Fiske Pastoral Charge was formed as a new United Church charge in 1925, part of Kindersley Presbytery, with points at Fiske, McGee, Oscaloosa and Spring Valley (the latter was not listed in the charge by 1926). Between 1946 and 1951, the charge joined with Herschel to form Herschel-Fiske Pastoral Charge, with points at Anglia, Fiske, Herschel, and McGee. Fiske appears to have closed around the mid-1950s, with the remainder continuing as Herschel Pastoral Charge (made up of Herschel, Anglia and Stanraer, by 1962).

Rockglen Pastoral Charge was formed as a United Church charge sometime between 1926 and 1932, part of Assiniboia Presbytery and consisting of preaching points at Killdeer and Lacordaire (the latter was previously part of Pretty Valley Pastoral Charge, ca.1926). Between the late-1930s and 1940, the charge had amalgamated with Constance, as Rock Glen - Constance Pastoral Charge, with additional points at Lacordaire, Canopus and Killdeer (only Fife lake by 1946). By 1951, the charge had joined with Coronach to form Rock Glen - Coronach Pastoral Charge, with points at Rockglen, Coronach, Fife Lake, Hart and Clydesdale. The charges had separated again by 1958. As of 1962, Rockglen Pastoral Charge consisted of the Rockglen, Fife Lake and Killdeer congregations.

Around 1968/1969, Coronach combined with Rockglen Pastoral Charge (including Killdeer and Fife Lake) to create the new Borderlands Pastoral Charge.