Reverend Emma L. Peterson (“Pastor Emma”)

Minister

pastor@cedarvalleyuu.org

Pastor Emma Peterson has dedicated her ministry to honoring the “inherent worth and dignity” of every person she encounters. She received her M.Div from Yale, and began a career in hospital chaplaincy, specifically in areas of neonatal care, hospice, and trauma. Working on the precipice of life and death allowed her to consider life’s biggest questions, seek the sacred in the midst of chaos, and connect with others in their most vulnerable moments. She came to the CVUU as a contract minister in 2018, became our settled minister in 2020, and was ordained by the CVUU after completing the UUA Fellowshipping process in 2023.

Emma lives in Dysart, IA, in a fixer-upper of sorts. She was even featured on an episode of House Hunters, which you can watch on cable re-runs. When Emma isn’t writing sermons, visiting congregants, or working on house projects she can be found reading novels, taking long country walks, organizing life’s clutter, and attending community events.

Kate Dembinski Flynn

Director of Children’s Religious Education (DCRE)

dcre@cedarvalleyuu.org

For the majority of her life, Kate has been passionate about finding, learning from, and building good, healthy, and sustainable communities. An Iowa native, she was educated in Christianity and Classics at Hillsdale College (Michigan), and her lesbian Mennonite soul presently finds particular joy in learning about harm reduction, neglected and strange corners of history (and modernity!) via short form documentaries, and the many facets that make up the modern premium cigar industry; her other job is selling cigars and cigar accessories at Iowa Cigar Company in West Des Moines.

When Kate is not thinking about how to best facilitate communal human thriving, you can find her at the cigar lounge enjoying a peppery maduro cigar (La Opulencia is one of her all-time favorites) while listening to Muna and playing Stardew Valley or Fallout 4. She is honored to be entrusted with the spiritual formation of CVUU’s children and youth, and she looks forward to joining a culture that can be edifying, healing, and life-giving for all.

Kat Beane Hanson

Office Administrator

office@cedarvalleyuu.org

Office Hours:
Wednesday 9am-6pm
Thursday 1pm-6pm

Originally from Waverly, our office administrator Kat Beane Hanson now lives in Cedar Falls with her husband Ryan. An alumna of Luther College and the University of Northern Iowa, she is an adjunct instructor in the music department at Wartburg College, and when she isn’t working, her favorite pastimes are reading, crochet, and live music/theatre (both watching and participating!).

Jess Lieb

Music Director

music@cedarvalleyuu.org

Jess coordinates the music for our Sunday worship services and plays the piano for those services. She also leads the choir and Burning Heretics band through their practice sessions, and arranges for special music for special occasions. If you would like to join the choir or band, let Jess know or stop by a Wednesday evening rehearsal.

John Miller and Deblyn Russell

Lay Ministers

The CVUU is run by a shared ministry, which includes lay ministers (or officiants) who are members of our church. Our lay ministers are part of the Religious Services Council, which plans, coordinates, and presents religious services for the CVUU, in collaboration with the minister, music director, worship associates, and other supportive groups. This includes Sunday services, weddings, memorial services, and other religious services sponsored by the CVUU.