A Pastor’s Quest for Unity Amidst the Ukraine-Russia Conflict
Introduction
Leonid Regheta, the pastor of the River of Life Church in Plano, walks through his garden to calm his heart and pray. He calls it a “little version of Eden.” His tulips just broke ground, and his peonies will soon be blooming.
“I’m looking for something that will bring me joy,” Regheta says.
Like his parishioners, his heart is weighed down by the war in Ukraine, which has brought grief for more than three years. Despite prayers for peace in his home country, he still waits for Russian troops to retreat and for the suffering to end.
The Road to Peace
Ongoing negotiations inspire hope that, after many long months of trying to broker peace among a flock hailing from both sides of the war, his Ukrainian and Russian parishioners alike will fill his pews with more harmony and less discord. Prayer by prayer, sermon by sermon, Regheta has preached for unity abroad and within his pews.
U.S. and Ukraine officials met in Saudi Arabia Tuesday to find a diplomatic end to the war. He knows how fragile things remain and how talks could suddenly go awry — like they did in late February when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left a contentious meeting at the White House in a huff.
Michael Farral, an assistant priest at the Parish of Saint George Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Richardson, says there have long been divisions among the roughly 230 million followers worldwide of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the most prevalent religion in Ukraine and Russia.
“It’s very hard sometimes to have coherent conversations on the topic, because there are emotions, there are hardcore beliefs,” Farral adds.
A Beacon of Hope
Ivan Osadchiy, 75, one of the parishioners at Plano’s River of Life Church, believes the Gospel will keep his fellow parishioners together, if they genuinely believe in its teachings.
“Believe me, if Russians and Ukrainians fighting were real Christians, they would stop today,” Osadchiy opines, noting he is of Russian and Ukrainian descent.
Nearly half of the 60 members of Regheta’s evangelical church are Ukrainian, but the Sunday service is also attended by people from other Slavic nations, including Russia and Belarus. Regheta speaks Russian in his sermons, because most of the people who regularly attend Sunday service understand the language.
Challenges and Triumphs
Often, the divides are held deep inside, though sometimes the questions cannot be quieted.
Under one of Regheta’s Facebook posts, one person pointedly asked: “Oh pastor, do you pray for both Russian and Ukranian souls at all?”
Regheta offered an uncomplicated response: “Come pray with us.”
Just days after Russia’s invasion, about 150 people, including those who do not regularly attend the church, joined Regheta and his parish for a vigil.
After the gathering, three Russian church members scolded him for what they deemed as an inappropriate intrusion of politics into the church.
“I said it’s not politics; it’s compassion,” Regheta recalls. “But they didn’t want to accept it or view it that way.”
The three people eventually left the church, taking their families with them.
Unity and Compassion
Svitlana Molchanov remembers the tensions that loomed when the three families left the church.
“They have their own opinion; we have our own. God will deal with that,” Molchanov says. She mixes Ukrainian and Russian in her words, as Regheta translates.
Things are different now, Molchanov said. Church members stand together in their hope for peace in Ukraine, she contends. In early March, she led a prayer — in both Russian and in Ukrainian — in front of the church in support of Ukraine. She was joined by fellow parishioners with ties to Russia.
Svitlana Molchanov prays at River of Life Church in Plano on Sunday, March 9.(Anja Schlein / Special Contributor)
Regheta thanks God that no more families have left his church, as he urges parishioners anew to look beyond their differences and extend compassion to one another. Over the past three years, his parish heeded his call to help the newest arrivals from Ukraine and Russia settle in their new environment.
“We can do life together with one another, regardless of where we come from and what’s happening in the world right now,” Regheta says.
A Message of Hope
He says it will take time, effort and patience to reemerge as stronger and more vibrant — just like the flowers and trees in his garden.
“I have a pomegranate tree that I planted years ago and it takes a few years for them to bear fruit,” Regheta says. “That’s helping me understand … Sometimes fruits don’t come until years later.”
Conclusion
The story of Leonid Regheta and his parish serves as a reminder that even in the face of conflict and division, there is always hope for unity and compassion. As the world continues to grapple with the complexities of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, it is the stories of individuals like Regheta that remind us of the power of faith, hope, and love to bring people together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the current situation with the Ukraine-Russia conflict?
A: The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is ongoing, with both sides experiencing losses and suffering. Despite ongoing negotiations, a peaceful resolution has yet to be reached.
Q: How has the conflict affected the parish of River of Life Church in Plano?
A: The conflict has brought grief and division to the parish, with some members having ties to both Ukraine and Russia. However, under the leadership of Pastor Regheta, the parish has come together to support one another and pray for peace.
Q: What is the message of hope that Pastor Regheta wants to convey?
A: Pastor Regheta wants to convey that even in the face of conflict and division, there is always hope for unity and compassion. He believes that by coming together and extending love and support to one another, people can overcome even the most daunting challenges.
