May 263 min read

Partnership Spotlight - WUICAN Grant

Learn more about Harbor's involvement with UCI climate solutions grant

From the new WUICAN website, linked below

It’s been almost a year since Harbor was invited to participate in the Wildland Urban Interface Climate Action Network (WUICAN, pronounced we can) through our connections at the University of California Irvine. This network is a consortium of community based organizations (like Harbor), California Native American Tribes, land managers, and universities in Southern California. The newly developed website for WUICAN shares that the purpose of the network is to:

Create a new model for co-governance and co-design of climate solutions that center the needs of impacted communities
Build capacity for collaboration, communication and decision-making across community-based organizations, universities and land stewards
Develop community-driven policies and practices for land and water stewardship in the face of climate change

One of the most exciting parts of the partnership for Harbor is that it has connected us to a huge and diverse network of community groups, tribal partners, and educational partners. As we involve ourselves more deeply in this network, we will be able to connect with people and institutions who are each facing the climate catastrophe in unique and thoughtful ways. As capacity for collaboration, communication, and decision making is expanded within the network we will see relationships develop and grow between those doing the research on climate change and communities most directly impacted by climate change.

When Jesus was doing his ministry, he made a point of gathering diverse people as his disciples. This meant that his disciples and followers included fishermen, tax collectors, religious leaders, sinners, men, women, Roman Centurions, children and more. Jesus understood that it is in bringing together diverse perspectives that we are able to learn from one another and support one another. It is exciting to see this same concept within the WUICAN network: get a diverse group of people and community based organizations together to learn from each other and support each other.

This partnership is doing something that is rarely done in our modern world: bring together people who rarely share space including scientists, interfaith religious leaders, California Native American Tribes, community leaders, people impacted by climate change, community based groups, and more.

If you are interested in learning about the many diverse projects that are happening within the wide WUICAN network, please explore the new website: https://newkirkcenter.uci.edu/wildland-urban-interface-climate-action-network/

While you are on the website, be sure to look for Harbor Christian Church in the Partners tab. You can also read about the specific project that Harbor is involved in under the Projects tab. Scroll down and you’ll see Harbor mentioned as part of the Interfaith Climate Action Working Group. And finally, you will be able to see our recent event, WATER: An Interfaith Exchange mentioned under Events.

WATER: An Interfaith Exchange

On May 9, Harbor was delighted to show up in full force for our interfaith event held at St. Mark’s Presbyterian in Newport Beach. Thank you to all who were able to make it out to this important event. Rae and Nate Hower-Haken wrote a short reflection on the experience they had attending the event. Thanks to them for this lovely review.

It was wonderful to come together as Muslims, Christians, and Jews at the interfaith climate conversation about water, especially in this time of such visceral global strife. Coming together to remind ourselves that what we have in common biologically, ecologically, and culturally felt like a relief, remembering that what we share is bigger and deeper than what pulls us apart. The water communion was especially meaningful, as everyone lined up to pour water into a single basin from across Orange County and as far away as the holy city of Mecca. We were grateful to be a part of this lovely event. - Nate and Rae Hower-Haken

Harbor members attend Water WUICAN event. Nat and Rae Haken, not pictured.

Pastors Sadie and Ryan led the gathered community in a Water Communion that Rae and Nate mentioned in their reflection. If you would like to read the script for the Water Communion, expand the text below by clicking the ( > ) symbol.