First Church Respite Ministry

04/30/2026

Off to the races! We had a great day celebrating the Kentucky Derby, decorating the most outrageous bonnets we could imagine! 🐎🏇👒

04/27/2026

Some partnerships are simply meant to be. ❤️ We lovingly call Janet and Bill our “married couple,” having been partnered together since the day we opened our doors. As Bill’s Alzheimer’s has progressed, Janet has met every change with patience, creativity, and unwavering kindness. Recently she had a custom puzzle made featuring a naval aircraft carrier, just like the one Bill served on, then enlarged a photo of the completed puzzle so he could continue enjoying it with confidence.

This is what love in action looks like. This is connection, dignity, and purpose. This is our why. 💙

Find your why, volunteering with us!
https://www.fumcpensacola.com/respite/

04/23/2026

We spent the day playing in the dirt! We celebrated Earth Day by painting our own succulent pots and then created chia seed terrariums with a forest theme. 🌎

04/14/2026

We enjoyed a visit from Tonya Dalhaus and her gang of chickens today! 🐓

We held the birds, learned about how smart chickens are and heard an excerpt from her upcoming book. You can see Tonya’s photo series, Uncaged, the Conscious Chicken, at Artel Art Gallery from May 12 - June 19.

04/09/2026

You know we’ve been busy when it gets quiet on Facebook! We have been rocking and rolling at Respite and today we celebrated “a tradition unlike any other!” The Masters! Friends enjoyed coloring our own green jackets. Then we snacked on egg salad, pimento cheese and an Azalea mocktail on the porch, and of course there was a golf tournament in the courtyard! ⛳️🏌️

12/01/2025

Looking for a unique Christmas gift? We have the perfect thing! Our friends have been working hard creating these beautiful oyster ornament and trinket dishes. Now available for purchase for $15 each or two for $25. Email Respite Director, Kirstin Gartner at [email protected] to purchase, or visit us in person at the FUMC front office!

10/30/2025

Happy Halloween! We enjoyed pumpkin co****le, some special trick or treaters and a fun Frankenstein craft. Boo! 👻

10/08/2025

Thanks to our friends at Local Pulse Pensacola for spending the day with us and sharing our mission to spark joy!

When I stepped into First Church Respite Ministry, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this faith-based program—I had only a vague notion of its purpose. But Kirstin Gartner, the Respite Director, greeted me with such warmth that I instantly felt at home. Her enthusiasm and the welcoming atmospher...

08/12/2025

We recently had a great time with Butterflies in Motion learning about butterflies with our 4 year old buddies at Methodist Children’s Academy! After a fascinating lesson about butterflies, we went outside to enjoy their mobile butterfly garden! Later in the afternoon we used our creative thinking to jazz up some Respite thank you notes with watercolor painting inspired by nature. 🦋

08/07/2025

Ho ho ho! We celebrated Christmas in July last month with marshmallow snowmen, Christmas wreath co****le and a wrapping contest! 🎄🎅🏻🧑🏻‍🎄