S.D. Moments: Church honors woman for missions

From South Dakota-

A South Dakota woman who served as a missionary in New York state and established a shelter for abused women in her home state has been honored by the Episcopal Church.

The late Margaret Hawk, who joined a society of lay missionaries in the Anglican Communion in 1963 at the age of 50, was a recipient of the House of Deputies Award of Distinguished Service by the National Episcopal Council.

Hawk, who died Feb. 18, 1993, was known as Sister Margaret by the people she served.

“The Church Army used to refer to women as sisters,” said Bishop John Tarrant, head of the South Dakota Episcopal Diocese.

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House of Deputies president presents award to family of Church Army pioneer

From ENS-

Episcopal Church House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson recently presented an award to the family of late Sister Margaret Hawk, a missionary and church leader, to honor her pioneering ministry posthumously.

The presentation came Sept. 10 during the Diocese of South Dakota's annual diocesan convention in Pierre. The President of the House of Deputies Award for Distinguished Service honors "individuals and communities who have exhibited an exceptional commitment to the work of reconciling a broken world," according to a press release.

Hawk was a native of Red Shirt, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation of the Oglala Sioux. In 1963, at the age of 50, she joined the Church Army, a society of lay missionaries in the Anglican Communion. After training in New York and missionary work in Buffalo, New York, she returned home to the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations where she served for 18 years, the release said.

Anderson presented the award to Hawk's granddaughter Alice Testerman and her family. Anderson said she was especially struck by Hawk's commitment to seek training and education in New York, 1,700 miles from her home in South Dakota.

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http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80263_129759_ENG_HTM.htm