Welcome to my blog! My name is Katya Ouchakof. The most influential chapters of my life have been spent at Camp Vermilion; Yale Divinity School; Luther College; Eugene, OR; London Colney, UK (through the Young Adults in Global Mission program); and my hometown of Madison, WI. I am a Lutheran minister, currently working outside the church at Rutabaga paddlesports shop.

It can be difficult to reconcile Christian faith with a culture steeped in fear and anger. On these pages, you will find thought-provoking reflections on faith, reviews of timely books and other works, and sermons that proclaim the Gospel and promote social justice. This blog began as a way to share my sermons with family and friends far and wide, so that is still the largest body of work contained here. You can expect new reviews to be posted monthly.

I am passionate about the outdoors, and am an ACA certified canoeing instructor. Most of the photos on this blog are my own. My favorite place to be is paddling a boat on the water! When I can’t do that, you’re likely to find me watching a sci-fi movie with a knitting project in hand or playing with the children in my life.

If you’d like to quote any of the writing on this blog, please attribute it to me, Rev. Katya Ouchakof, (c) 2019. If you’d like to quote anything longer than 3 sentences, please add a comment to the post to request permission.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog are my own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of my denomination or the community in which I am serving.