Kara Wagner Sherer, who got her start preaching and graduated from St. Olaf College in 1991, has published her first book, Many Paths: Reflections on a Christian Journey. This book of short reflections comes from her Sunday sermons at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Chicago, where she is the priest, and was compiled and edited by parishioner Kathy Broderick.

“Here’s a collection of fresh, practical, and profound sermons. Kara is a leader who invites people to discover the mystery of God in and through the ordinary details of life.” says The Rt. Rev. Jeffery D. Lee, Bishop of Chicago. Already a selection for book clubs and church reflection groups, Many Paths: Reflections on a Christian Journey is available on amazon.com.

Kara Wagner Sherer, born 1969, grew up in Marshall, Minn. Her first piece of writing, at age five, was a Christmas pageant, performed in the laundry room of her apartment building. She was Mary, of course. Kara preached for the first time at age 17 at St. James Episcopal Church in Marshall. The people in the parish encouraged her to become a priest, but she planned to be an English teacher. She preached again as a senior at St. Olaf College, again ignoring advice to pursue ministry. Kara taught third and fifth grades in London, New York, and Chicago. After marrying her husband John and moving to New York City, she found herself living across from General Theological Seminary. She got the hint. After graduating from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill., she was ordained a priest in 2003. She served as the Assistant Rector at St. Paul and the Redeemer in Chicago for two years, and was called to be Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in 2005. She and her husband John, a Director of Music, have two daughters, Madeleine Wagner Sherer ’18, a first year student at St. Olaf, and Carlisle.