In the complexity of contemporary society, the welfare of individuals is dependent upon the co-operation of the helping professions and co-ordination of services provided by the many social institutions. This study considered the degree of cooperation between the two helping professions, social work and the ministry, in the suburban community of Richmond, British Columbia. The research method in this qualitative study included interviews with fifteen clergymen and ten social workers in order to apply the concepts of reciprocal awareness and utilization. This method facilitated evaluation of the knowledge one profession had of the other's role and function, and the extent to which this knowledge was used for the benefit of the population they served. Supplementing this main method was a brief historical consideration of the impact of industrialization on the development and contemporary role of the church and social welfare. The findings of the study showed the awareness one profession had of the other was based more on general knowledge than direct interprofessional contact. The utilization of each other's resources, as indicated by referral patterns, was minimal and typically the result of coincidence rather than planning. Reciprocity, the main concept evaluated, was virtually non-existent. This can primarily be accounted for by absence of communication, despite an acknowledgement by both professions, particularly social work, that there were several gains to be realized from more co-operation. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate