In 1990 Prairie Star District UUA, recognizing that only a few large congregations can afford the service of ministers and fully accredited religious education directors, adopted a Commissioned Lay Leadership program to meet the needs of smaller congregations to have trained leadership. 

Karen Lee Kress was the first Lay Leader to be commissioned by the Prairie Star District.  She is trained to serve her congregation in all rights of passage including weddings, funerals, and child dedication services.  She was first commissioned in the fall of 1994 and has been recommissioned every 3 years since.

Karen was one of the founding members of the Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in 1981.  She served as President, Director of Religious Education, and a member of the board.  In 1988, she was hired as a part-time administrator, director of religious education, and chaplain.  In 1990, she entered the Commissioned Lay Leader independent study program.  She attended over 100 hours of training in the UUA Department of Religious Education Renaissance Program.  She attended Unitarian Universalist Midwest Leadership School in Beloit, Wisconsin, and served as chair of the school for two years.  She has served as chair of the Prairie Star District UUA Religious Education Committee and has served as Prairie Star District Resource Librarian for over 12 years.  Karen was on the PSD Board of Directors for two years and served as secretary of the District.  She participated in writing and setting up the PSD Commissioned Lay Leader Educational Program.  She also served on the Commissioned Lay Leader Committee as chair.