A preacher, a lawyer, and a stand up comedian all walk into a room…

…meet Rev. Susan Sparks. A trial lawyer, turned standup comedian and Baptist minister, Susan is America's only female comedian with a pulpit. After ten years as a lawyer moonlighting as a standup, she left her practice and spent two years on a solo trip around the world, including working with Mother Teresa's mission in Calcutta. Upon returning home, she earned a Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, writing an honors thesis on humor and religion.

Currently, the Senior Pastor of the historic Madison Avenue Baptist Church (www.mabcnyc.org) in New York City (and the first woman in its 160 year history), Susan has been featured on such networks as ABC, PBS and CNN, as a regular guest with country music star Naomi Judd on “Naomi’s New Morning” on Hallmark Channel, in the NY Times, and in numerous comedy clubs, including Carolines in New York City. Her new book, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming Humor in the Spiritual Path, is due out in May 2010.