Next Speaker Series will be on May 19.
Speakers Series
Do you think the world needs more compassion? What does compassion mean to you - and what would it mean to have more of it in your community? In your life?
The monthly Speaker Series will feature a mix of local individuals who will share their perspectives on these questions. Join us in our quest to better understand compassion and the path to having
more compassion in our lives.
Where: Clubhouse on Highland, 2908 Highland Avenue, 35205
When: Every third Sunday, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Do you think the world needs more compassion? What does compassion mean to you - and what would it mean to have more of it in your community? In your life?
The monthly Speaker Series will feature a mix of local individuals who will share their perspectives on these questions. Join us in our quest to better understand compassion and the path to having
more compassion in our lives.
Where: Clubhouse on Highland, 2908 Highland Avenue, 35205
When: Every third Sunday, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
March's Speaker: Rev. Dale Cohen
Rev. Dale Cohen is 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.
Rev. 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, Rev. 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.
Rev. 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, Rev. 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.
February's Speaker: Ashfaq Taufique
Ashfaq Taufique is the president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, an organization serving the spiritual and social needs of the Greater Birmingham-Hoover Muslim community. He is originally from Pakistan and came to USA in 1974 as a student, became a citizen of USA and has since made USA his home. He has been the resident of Hoover since 1989. Mr. Taufique is actively involved in all aspect of interfaith cooperation, ranging from helping the needy in the community to promoting cooperation on common goal of fostering harmony and helping the community. He has been part of Hoover Helps that provides backpack lunches to the needy in the Hoover Schools. Working for Habitat for Humanity and Soup Kitchen are his passion. He holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry from University of Karachi, Pakistan and Mechanical Engineering from University of Texas at Arlington. He is married to Rita and has four children and nine grandchildren.
January's Speaker: Brother Sims
Pastor Fernandez Sims, better known as Brother Sims, is the first guest of the Speaker Series hosted by The Alabama Charter for Compassion (ACFC), a Partner of the Charter for Compassion International. Brother Sims, a former Birmingham mayoral candidate, is pastor at Charis Community Church and works at Impact Family Counseling, a counseling center for at-risk youth and their families, in community care outreach and in family court.
Pastor Fernandez Sims, better known as Brother Sims, is the first guest of the Speaker Series hosted by The Alabama Charter for Compassion (ACFC), a Partner of the Charter for Compassion International. Brother Sims, a former Birmingham mayoral candidate, is pastor at Charis Community Church and works at Impact Family Counseling, a counseling center for at-risk youth and their families, in community care outreach and in family court.