Meet Our Staff
At FUMC Florence, our pastors and staff are available to serve you, care for you, and answer your questions however you'd like to reach them, whether that's in person, via email, or by phone. Learn more about each member of our team below.
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CHURCH OFFICE
(256) 764-5072
Open Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
256-764-5072 ext. 101
Reverend Dale Cohen Senior Pastor
Dale is the Senior Pastor of Florence First United Methodist Church. He received his undergraduate degree from Birmingham-Southern College in 1983 and a masters degree from Emory University's Candler School of Theology in 1986.
Dale was ordained an elder in the United Methodist Church in 1988 and has served several appointments in the North Alabama Conference, including six years as an associate pastor at Trinity UMC in Homewood. In 1992, he founded Discovery United Methodist Church in Hoover. Discovery grew to a worshiping congregation of more than 500 people, with many of those people coming into the church on profession of faith.
Prior to his appointment to Florence First UMC in July 2018, Dale served as Senior Pastor at Canterbury UMC from 2015 to 2018, Superintendent of the Northeast District of the North Alabama Conference from 2010 to 2015 and as the Director of Connectional Ministries for the North Alabama Conference from 2003 to 2010. He is married to Ann and they have three children in their blended family and five grandchildren.
256-764-5072 ext. 102
Rev. Dr. Terry Stubblefield
Associate for Congregational Care
Terry is from Hazel, Kentucky, and married his college sweetheart, Deborah, who is from Birmingham. He and Deborah have three children. Andrew Wesley Stubblefield MD is a pediatrician at Infants and Childrens Clinic in Florence. Edward Russell Stubblefield and Laura Elizabeth Stubblefield are twins.
Russell lives in Birmingham and Laura is in Denver, Colorado. All three children are married to wonderful spouses and have given the Stubblefields five grandchildren.
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Terry graduated from Freed Hardeman University, Murray State University, the University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Dentistry and International Bible Seminary. Deborah graduated from Mississippi University for Women in art (interior design) and has a masters degree in gifted education with an emphasis in art.
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Terry and Deborah have been active church members all their married life and have served in various roles. Terry is a semi-retired dentist and comes to Florence after serving as the minister for the Prairie and St. Mark United Methodist churches in Aberdeen (Monroe County) Mississippi for the past three years.
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They enjoy their children and grandchildren as well as travel, reading, old house renovations, history, gourmet food, and architecture. Deborah is the artist who paints, needlepoints, makes jewelry and life wonderful for Terry. They love Florence and Florence First United Methodist Church.
NOW HIRING (Click for details)
Music Director/Organist
256-764-5072
256-764-5072
Mary has served in this position at FUMC since 1988. If you want any information in our Messenger, call Mary and she will take care of that. She and her husband, Don have a son, Will, who is at Utah State University working on his Ph.D. Her four beagles take up her time with Will being gone and she loves to keep up with all of the furry pets.
Makenzie "Mak" Knowlden
Youth Director
256-764-5072 ext. 103
Mak has a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Flagler College and is now a Graduate Resident of the Center for Youth Ministry Training (CYMT). She received her Masters in Youth Ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary while serving at our church.
Mak is passionate about serving and empowering the youth of this church as they navigate their faith and grow in the Lord. Mak enjoys hiking, blogging, and a good corn dog.
Marianna Jordan
Children's Director
256-764-5072 ext. 112
Courtney Rohling
Day School Director
256-766-2472
Born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, Courtney attended the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she received a BFA in photography. She first moved to Florence in 2004, where she joined First United Methodist Church and had her twin babies baptized.
In 2007 the Army moved her family to Wonju, South Korea. While in Korea she taught English in the elementary schools. Upon her return Courtney began teaching in the two-year-old classroom in the Day School. In 2012 she accepted the position of Assistant Director to the Day School, and was later named Day School Director. She thoroughly enjoys her job and loves coming to work each day, watching the wonders of our Creator’s beautiful world unfold to a child.​
In her free time she enjoys being with her three children. She may not be from Florence originally, but she certainly considers it home!
Tim W. Jackson
Video Producer
256-764-5072
Tim worked in publishing for many years before moving into video production. With an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Goucher College and a B.A in Communication from the University of Alabama, he fell in love with filmmaking as a medium for storytelling.
A native of the area, Tim grew up in Russellville and began his career as a sports writer for The Franklin County Times. After working in Birmingham for 11 years, he started a journey that saw him living in Washington, Virginia, and North Carolina before returning to Northwest Alabama in 2018. He lives in Tuscumbia with his wife, Taryn. His daughter, Anna, currently attends the Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine in North Carolina.
Amy Beard
Facilities Director
256-764-5072 ext. 125
Mary Tidwell
Secretary
Daniel Ritch
Assistant Music Director
256-764-5072
Daniel Ritch is a native of Hamilton, AL. He is a 2008 graduate of Hamilton High School in Hamilton,AL. Mr. Ritch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree from The University of Alabama and Master of Arts in Education degree from the University of North Alabama. He is married to Ashton Bailey Ritch.
Daniel is the head director at Hardin County Middle School in Savannah, TN, and an assistant band director with Hardin County High School. He has performed as a tubist with the Shoals Symphony Orchestra, Corinth Symphony Orchestra, and as part of the Florence based tuba quartet the Principal Brass Tuba Quartet.