“The decisions—to volunteer at the shelter and to keep rather than turn in a stray dog— have been some of the better decisions of the year. Working with, caring for, and simply loving and petting these dogs got me out of the troubles of the day”
Perhaps the morning following Election Day this year was a difficult one for you too. As I awaited the optometrist and weighed the news, the power went out and I was invited to return another day. I got in the car and stumbled upon an unusual circumstance as I was leaving the area: Two unleashed dogs atop one another in the middle of an intersection.
I stopped and inquired with nearby workers, who said they knew nothing of the two dogs. One was a large uncollared Pit Bull Terrier; the other, a small, collared terrier mix. Neither had tags or microchips. No one else was around or came forward. So, I picked them up, stopped at a nearby grocery store, fed them, and brought them to our county shelter. Pictured below are the dogs: “Buddie,” the Pit Bull Terrier, and “Harris,” the very badly matted terrier mix (before and after).
Having watched an expose about the shelter on the local news channel, I decided to start volunteering a few hours a month at the local county animal shelter in Thousand Palms, called the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, to do something to try to help the situation. Now wanting to drop off two stray dogs I’d found, knowing its overburdened condition, and not wanting to burden the shelter with double the impounded stray dog, Reuben and me took a chance and agreed to “foster” the smaller dog, thinking that our own rescue dog Max (with a difficult temperament) might better tolerate it.
The decisions—to volunteer at the shelter and to keep rather than turn in a stray dog— have been some of the better decisions of the year. Working with, caring for, and simply loving and petting these dogs got me out of the troubles of the day and refocused my attention on these wonderful creatures in need. “Harris,” named in honor of the Vice President, adds so much love to the home at such a difficult time. Really, the work brings me closer to some of the values we preach too.
Discovering the dogs’ different personalities, observing their joy as they are socialized out of the kennels, and watching them grow help me honor the interdependent web of all existence and acknowledge my place in it. As I give as much time and affection as I can, I am working on cultivating gratitude for life and hope for these dogs. As I work with these animals, I am accountable for doing the work of living these shared values through the spiritual discipline of love.
As we go into December, let’s spread gratitude, hope, and love as we remember the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Pictured above are a few of the dogs up for adoption. Check out all the great animals in need at the local county shelter here.
Is it time for a new pet? Can you open your home and foster an animal? Are you looking to add a particularly meaningful experience to your volunteering activities? Can you give money, blankets, towels, pet food, animal or cleaning supplies, or a purchase off one of the shelter’s wish lists ? How about following the shelter and forwarding its posts to help spread the word?
As always, if you have an idea, suggestion, comment, improvement, or criticism, please contact me or any Members of the Board and convey your thoughts. You can also bring them to the next Voices of the Congregation forum during the next Board meeting. Recall that this year’s Board meetings are hybrid online on Zoom and in-person in the Community Room. Come as you can! This month, our next regular meeting is December 17.
-Bob Rancourt
P.S. UUCOD’s Social Justice Committee is thrilled to feature Barkee LaRoux’s House of Love Animal Sanctuary this church year as one of its Share the Plate beneficiaries.
President’s Message Recent Posts
January 2026 Message from the Board President
As Unitarian Universalists, we often pride ourselves on our intellectual capabilities. While we recognize the interconnected web of all existence, we may not fully recognize the bodily chemical and biological dependencies. These hidden connections underscore our...
A Message from the Board President: Meeting the Moment
On a hike a few weeks ago I came across at strange creature that looked like half a moth at one end and nondescript at the other. Dr. Cameron Barrows explained the fascinating story to me.
When a moth emerges from the cocoon its wings are folded up and soggy. It quickly pumps hemolymph (insect blood) into the veins of the wings, blowing them up like a balloon. The wings dry in a few hours and then another magical process occurs: several chemical changes sclerotize the wings, cross-linking the proteins into a rigid matrix.
What does that have to do with the creature I saw? The poor guy didn’t get out of the cocoon fast enough. His wings hardened half way out and he died.
And what does that have to do with UUCOD? The world around us has changed. The rise of hate, bigotry, and authoritarianism is alarming. And, like the pupae, when the world changes we have to act.
Many in our congregation already act individually: volunteering for Street Medicine or at Galilee Center or other places, writing postcards, and so much more. And we have collective action like marching at rallies, food and formula and socks collections, Laundry Love, Share The Plate, and more.
But can we make a bigger impact? We propose to Meet the Moment by focusing hyper-locally to reduce harm caused by our federal government to the local immigrant community. We are meeting with front-line organizations, discussing their needs and our capabilities, to see how we can help and follow their lead.
It involves some soul searching – are we disrupters willing to put our bodies on the line, or would we prefer to generously help fund relief organizations from a safe distance, or something in between? In fact, Rev Ian is leading a class, Social Change Now, which is helping participants understand the roles in which they shine. (If you didn’t enroll in this series, do sign up for the next one.)
Stay tuned as we discern what it means for UUCOD to Meet this Moment, collectively, to reduce harm to local immigrant communities. We cannot be like the poor Sphinx moth. We must act, and once we start we need to sustain our bold actions.
~ Rod Belshee, UUCOD Board President
Introducing our New President, Rod Belshee
It occurs to me that many of you joined the church recently (yay!) so I thought I’d use this message to introduce myself.
Actually this is a thinly veiled attempt to get you to share your stories! Now that most of you are in the Breeze Directory, did you know that you can share your story? Much like the snippets that new members share in the newsletter when they join, everyone can share a couple of paragraphs on whatever they consider meaningful in their lives.
So here’s My Story, clipped from Breeze. It just includes tidbits – to learn more let’s talk, and you can share your story too.
My first sixty years were in Portland Oregon, raising two sons and working in the tech industry. In 2002-2003, Fran and I took two years to backpack around the world, mostly in Asia, shifting to a more spiritual and cultural focus, including studying Buddhism. Then I took up long distance hiking (over 10,000 miles so far) and became a naturalist. I feel most at home when outdoors (I even sleep outside on the deck). I have always been a volunteer somewhere, earlier in Boy Scouts and now at UUCOD.
While I live in the forest of Idyllwild, my community is UUCOD. I started attending UUCOD in 2014 and have served in a number of positions. I like to improve things, so have led the efforts to add solar, the Sacred Grounds, the A/V and streaming system, and other stuff. I find purpose and community in helping out.
What is your Story? Log into Breeze, click on My Profile, click on My Story and start typing. As more folks add their stories we can learn more about each other.
Family Connections and Seeing that You Can’t Go Home Again
Thomas C. Wolfe (1900 – 1938), who once said he wrote a book to forget it, was a North Carolinian originator of the autobiographical fiction genre and is credited with coining the term “you can’t go home again.” Awaiting the connecting flight to North Carolina, I go...
Coming up for Air
A Message from the Board President Have you ever learned something significant about yourself unexpectedly? Has a personal insight ever suddenly awakened you in some way? The other evening, I was catching up with a friend. She asked me what I’d been doing since the...
The Hustle and Bustle of Church
Have you noticed the uptick in attendance? Wasn’t it nice catching up with everyone and celebrating our 65th birthday? Did you see all the prospective new Members taking their orientation classes? Are you looking forward to representing UUCOD at the 39th annual Greater Palm Springs LGTBQ Pride Parade and cutting loose at the annual service auction in the next couple weeks?
This time of year always seems to bring the hustle and bustle of church.
Let the New Church Year Begin
It’s the end of September, snow birds are returning, church seats are filling up, groups are re-assembling, and the new church year begins. The new Board—constituted by two new Members and one re-elected Member—has now met twice and taken some actions of which to be aware.
Look at how full the church calendar already is! One occasion of which to take note is our 65th birthday on October 13. The first Church Council follows on October 19, and then November brings the Pride Parade on the 3rd and our annual service auction on November 8 and 9. New Members are celebrated on November 17
General Assembly 2024 Is in the Books
From June 20–23, more than 3,400 Unitarian Universalists from around the country and world gathered and attended this year’s all-virtual UUA General Assembly, GA is the annual gathering of UUs, where, in addition to conducting official business of the UUA, they join in community, explore the faith’s theological underpinnings, and emphasize the UUA’s mission, values, and principles. GA 2024 had 2,757 credentialed delegates from 734 congregations in fifty states; Washington, D.C.; Canada; the U.S. Virgin Islands; Mexico, France, and the Philippines. Five UUCOD leaders represented the church: Rev. Riddell; Walter Gendell; Linda Savard; Jane Zaun; and me. This year’s theme was “Love Unites, Stories Ignite,” meant to celebrate the profound impact of love as a binding force that transcends boundaries and divisions.
Open to Change
In some climates, where seasons change, “April showers bring May flowers.” Reportedly, April, the name of the month, originally takes its name from the verb “to open,” as in the season when flowers and trees begin to open. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that April brings Earth Day, on the 22nd.
As we usher in the opening season, are we open to change? Do we encourage enough spiritual growth? Have you transformed lately? Do you value transformation? Rev. Riddell will be asking us to consider transformation this month in his Sunday messages:
President’s Message: Along This Yellow Brick Road of Life
One nice part of the holiday season is the re-airing of classic films associated with the holidays. From Miracle on 34th Street, It’s A Wonderful Life, and Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, to Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Elf, these feel-good motion pictures can stir warm memories and remind us of our family, friends, and the hope and love in life.
Another one that popped up the other day is the all-time great The Wizard of Oz, the “most seen film in movie history.” It’s rich in many themes, but perhaps the transformation of the scarecrow, tin man, and lion is most prescient as we trudge along this yellow brick road of life.