Our Bishop

The Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer is the ninth 
and first woman bishop of the Episcopal Diocese 
of Rochester. She was consecrated on July 13, 2024. 
Kara is a lifelong Episcopalian who has served in 
ministry across the United States and in England.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from St. Olaf 
College in Northfield, Minnesota, and taught in 
New York City, Potter’s Bar, England, and Chicago, 
Illinois, before earning a Master of Divinity from 
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, 
Illinois. Kara served in Chicago parishes for 21 years, 
including 19 years as rector of St. John’s Episcopal 
Church. During her time there, she focused on growing an authentic worshipping and community-serving congregation. She prioritized raising up and training leaders, fostering dialogue and learning—particularly 
in the conversation between science and faith—and engaging in justice work, including creation care, antiracism, violence prevention, and full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people.

As bishop, Kara leads a diocese of 48 congregations and chapels, served by over 100 priests and deacons, across eight counties stretching from Lake Ontario to the Pennsylvania border. This region encompasses 
the city of Rochester, its suburbs, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. The strength and reach of these 
rural, suburban, and urban parishes in diverse communities makes them uniquely posed to be a light 
of love and service to all.