Lawson, Margaret, 1922-2012

Margaret Lawson (1922-2012) was born in Toronto. She was a fervent volunteer with the United Church in many capacities and at many levels; church, conference, presbytery, and national.

Lawson worked in the office of Sainthill Levine during World War II and met her husband, Bill Lawson at Young People’s at St. Paul’s Avenue Road. The Lawsons moved frequently throughout Ontario for Bill’s work. Margaret volunteered for various groups (the Women’s Association, United Church Women, Pastoral Care, Executive and Advisory Committee, and various Councils and Committees) at the Conference and Presbytery levels while a member at Welland Avenue United Church (St. Catharine’s), St. Andrews United Church (London) and Rideau Park United Church (Ottawa), Emmanuel United Church (Ottawa), Marshall Memorial United (Ancaster), and Donway Covenant United Church (Toronto). Lawson volunteered with the U.C.W. of Hamilton Conference as secretary and later Chair (1968-1970). During this time, on behalf of the church, she traveled to Japan and met with Women’s groups there. She was also on the Toronto Area Presbytery International Affairs Committee from 1984-1985.

Nationally, Lawson volunteered on the Executive of the Board of Women, serving as their representative on the Board of Men and Chair of their Finance Committee from 1968 until 1971 when the Board of Women joined the newly created Division of Mission in Canada. She volunteered on the Executive of the Division of Finance and the Executive of the Treasury Department from 1968-1977. She was on the General Council Executive and Sub-Executive from 1974-1977, and served on the following committees: Church Extension, Budget Validation, Salaries, Investment for Social Purposes, Project Committee and the Task Group on Confirmation Resources. She volunteered on the Executive and Sub-Executive of the Department of Church in Society from 1972-1977, and was Chairman of the Outreach Ministries and various other ministries. She was on the Board of Directors of The Observer, and the Executive of the Treasury Committee, the Investment Committee and the Pensions Department. She served as Chair of the Division of Mission from 1979-1983, and was chair of their Mutuality in Mission Committee from 1991-1992. She also served as the Division’s representative to the Division of World Outreach, JNAC (Japan-North American Commission on Cooperative Mission) as well as their Committee on East Asia & Pacific DOM/NCCCUSA. She was a member of the Women’s Missionary Society Book History Committee, chaired the Office Committee of the General Council, and the Archives Management Committee from 1991-1993.