Time Out

Time Out

In 1973, under the leadership of Rev. Anne Graham (1949-1955 and 1963-1977), a group of young mothers

gathered at the church for a morning of mutual child care and adult conversation. This was the beginning of

Time Out, a very successful outreach program that continued into its fifth decade.

As many as 10-15 programs of crafts, music, exercise, current events and educational lectures/sessions

encompassed Time Out which expanded over the years, with child care remaining in place until 2003. From

that time on, participants tended more likely to be retired persons, so child care ceased. The cost to

participants for the 8-week Wednesday morning program in 1973 ranged from $3 per adult up to $5 for an

adult and 2 children. In comparison, the cost in 2020 was $30 for the 8 weeks. Lengthy line-ups for the

Registration Coffee Party would occur one week before Time Out would begin, as all classes were limited in

size to maintain their effectiveness.

Over the 47 years since the launch of Time Out, many dedicated volunteer conveners and program

coordinators were actively involved with a full range of services and support. Time Out grew to attract as

many as 350-400 participants for eight consecutive Wednesday mornings during January and February each

year. Each Wednesday, there were two interesting and educational hour-long sessions sandwiched with a

coffee/tea/cookie break and a time for socializing.

Time Out included a series of lectures on a wide variety of political and current event topics, a series of

armchair travel sessions, craftmanship including quilting, sewing, smocking, knitting, crocheting and basketry,

book talks, and musical performances by local and visiting artists, school choirs and orchestral groups in all

genres of music—opera, classical, jazz. In latter years, a program of local London heritage topics was

extremely popular, as was a program in which local artists provided hands-on art instruction. London’s Grand

Theatre offered an 8-week look at how plays are produced and staged. In addition, there was often an

exercise program which, over the years, included line dancing, yoga, fitness fun, relaxation techniques, and t’ai

chi.

Revenue from the registration fees for Time Out, over its many successful years, has been distributed to

numerous worthwhile local charities as well as to the maintenance of Metropolitan United Church, our host

for 47 years.

In 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak forced a cancellation of the program in the following two years (2021 and

2022). Unfortunately, due to many considerations, Time Out was unable to resume in early 2023 when

COVID-19 restrictions on large group meetings eased. Time Out officially came to an end in March 2020.