by: Rev. Cameron Trimble
On June 21st, the Trump administration authorized the deployment of bunker-busting bombs in Iran—an act of war against a sovereign nation, carried out without congressional approval and without credible evidence of a nuclear threat. He then turned around and declared a cease-fire in a “made for TV” drama even while bombs were still falling. This alarming action, done in concert with Israel but outside the bounds of the US democratic process, is yet another signal that we are moving deeper into authoritarian rule. And unfortunately, few of us are surprised.
We’ve watched this administration sidestep accountability and blur constitutional boundaries. We’ve witnessed increasing corruption, coordinated misinformation, and bold extraction of wealth from the poor and middle class. If the current federal budget bill passes, it will represent the largest upward transfer of wealth in U.S. history. This is not governance for the people—it’s rule by retribution.
But the people are stirring.
On July 14th, citizens across the country participated in the “No Kings” protest, signaling that many of us are no longer willing to be silent. As illegal deportations continue and the machinery of state violence expands, resistance in every form is becoming an essential act of patriotism and faith. We need street protestors and spiritual healers, legal advocates and sanctuary hosts. We need leaders and communities who will not look away.
That’s why Convergence is launching a new Protest & Action Chaplaincy Training (here), open to anyone seeking to show up in protest and direct action as agents of peace, healing, and resilience. We believe congregations are uniquely positioned to be the spiritual backbone of this movement moment.
This is not just about politics—it’s about spiritual responsibility.
In times of collapse and chaos, congregations must become what we call islands of coherence: grounded, resilient, compassionate communities that provide clarity in the storm. At Convergence, we’ve identified four distinct but overlapping pathways for congregations to take in such a time as this:
- The Activist Congregation: Courageously defending the vulnerable, standing for democracy, and challenging policies that threaten human rights and dignity.
- The Safe Space Congregation: Creating trauma-informed sanctuaries where all are welcomed and protected—especially immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those most under threat.
- The Connector Congregation: Weaving relationships across lines of division, building mutual aid networks, and becoming the beating heart of community resilience.
- The Positive, Alternative Futures Congregation: Lifting up the imagination, storytelling, art, and wisdom that helps us see new ways of living rooted in compassion, sustainability, and spiritual depth.
Each path is a powerful form of ministry. None of them requires a new building or a flashy program. They require only deep, mature faith and the courage to be honest about what time it is.
This is the work before us. And you don’t have to do it alone.
If your congregation is discerning how to respond to this moment—how to rise faithfully, prophetically, and practically—Convergence is here to help. Through our consulting, training, and resources, we walk alongside leaders and communities who are ready to move from fear to faith, from disorientation to clarity.
This is a moment of reckoning. But it is also a moment of possibility.
Let’s rise together.