Rev. Karen Van Fossan began her ministry with CUF on August 1, 2026.  She hopes to focus on co-creating meaningful worship, deepening our shared commitment to anti-racism, and helping to build the Religious Education program for children, teens, and adults of all ages.  Rev. Karen envisions our shared ministry as enlivening work. bringing more joy, more justice and as our UU values affirm, more love to our own lives and our world.

She comes to CUF with both ministerial and counseling experience.  She has served 2 UU Congregations in North Dakota.  Most recently she was a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor at the Rape & Abuse Crisis Center in Fargo, ND.  She is the author of a memoir, A Fire at the Center: Solidarity, Whiteness, and Becoming a Water Protector, as well as essays in UU theology collections, including Love at the Center: Unitarian Universalist Theologies and a forthcoming collection focused on climate justice.  Since 2022 she has been working on a DMin from Pacific School of Religion, with a focus on prison abolition.

Our Staff

Religious Education Coordinator

Rhonda Kosmicki is CUF’s Religious Education Coordinator.  She is an LCSW, a therapist in private practice, and mother of 6 and grandmother of 6.  Rhonda has worked with children throughout her life, in many volunteer and professional settings. She enjoys working in the RE program, and strives to create a program that shares and teaches UU Values, creates supportive connections among the children and families, and fosters activities that promote and support our UU values.

Jennifer Langin and Kelly Kitchens

Nursery Staff

Jennifer Langin—Nursery Staff since 2015

Kelly Kitchens—Nursery Staff for over 20 years

Kelli Kitchens and Jennifer Langin have over 30 years combined experience staffing our nursery. The nursery program is also supported by the RE Committee, and dedicated parents and volunteers.

Elana Floyd-Kennett

Choir Director & Accompanist

Elana has been a CUF member since July 2020 and a Carbondale resident since 1985. She brings her life long love of music and performance to the CUF choir as piano accompanist. She is a regular Sunday Services musician as well as Wednesday Vespers musician.
She is passionate about all things of the natural world and loves being a citizen scientist. She and her husband, Stephen are gladly owned and supervised by their fur baby cat, Mr. Smuckers.