Another “School Without Walls” gathering took place at Reimer Center — an initiative that has already become a tradition, bringing young people together for fellowship, learning, and spiritual growth. This time, around twenty participants came from different parts of Ukraine. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed: some played guitar, others helped with coffee, while most were waiting for the discussion to begin on a topic that touched everyone — love for God and love for people.
The speaker reminded everyone that these two kinds of love are inseparably connected. It is impossible to truly love God without showing love to people, and it is impossible to genuinely love people without drawing strength from God’s love. The discussion was deep and sincere. Young people shared their thoughts, personal stories, and even doubts.
“I felt this topic in a new way,” said Sasha, one of the participants. “It used to seem to me that love for God was something distant and complicated. But today I realized that it is expressed in simple things: in gratitude, in forgiveness, in a kind word to another person.” His words resonated with many — some smiled quietly, others nodded in agreement.
Ksyusha added, “Feelings toward God are not the foundation, but they are important. Without feelings, everything becomes formal. We can read, pray, serve — but if the heart is cold, it’s as if we are living without a soul.” Her thought brought a brief silence — as if everyone looked inside themselves.
Then Serhiy continued, “But in order to feel something toward God, we need to work on ourselves and avoid sin. Sin closes the heart and makes it indifferent. We cannot expect love to simply come — it needs to be nurtured.”
At the end of the meeting, everyone prayed together and lingered for a long time. Some shared their experiences, others took photos, while some simply sat in silence, gazing at the candlelight. This “School Without Walls” once again reminded everyone: true love is not born in theory, but in living relationships — with God, with people, and with oneself.
For many, this evening became a moment of reflection. As one participant said at the end, “To love God means to choose good every day, even when no one sees it.”
