The Rooster Crows LPCC Podcast

We invite you to a rare dramatic reading of John Milton’s poem Paradise Regained. The setting is the desert where Jesus has been fasting for forty days. Satan appears to tempt Jesus to stop being loyal to God. Satan beckons Jesus to the dark side - give in to pleasures of the flesh, and to temptations of power and glory. It's a dramatic story of the dangers of tyranny, of leaders without ethics - themes that are as fresh today as they were when Milton wrote the poem in 1671. Acclaimed Canadian actor R.H. Thomson plays Satan. He is joined by a talented cast playing Jesus, God, demons, Mary, and Milton's wry narrator. Please join us for a rare production of this Lenten tale. 

Today's podcast features an interview with Robert Rayner, who believes that Toronto can help ease its homelessness crisis by providing personal cabins for people who prefer to live in encampments.

Rev. Stephen Milton examines how Christian theology, scripture, and history have contributed to centuries of persecution and marginalization of Jewish people. Tracing this legacy from the Crusades and medieval economic restrictions to New Testament interpretations shaped by the destruction of Jerusalem, he shows how misunderstandings about Jesus, the Messiah, and Judaism hardened into harmful doctrines. Rev. Milton challenges Christians to confront these painful truths honestly, emphasizing that Jesus’ teachings are deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and justice ethics. The sermon calls the Church to reject inherited prejudices, read scripture critically, and commit to interfaith respect, cooperation, and the shared work of building a more just and peaceful world.

In The Bonds of War, preached for Remembrance Day, Rev. Roberta reflects on the complex legacy of faith in times of conflict—grief for the fallen, anger at human violence, and hope for peace. Tracing the United Church’s roots through the Methodist and wartime traditions, she explores how churches wrestled with patriotism, pacifism, and conscience during both World Wars. From chaplains on the front lines to ministers who protested against war, Rev. Roberta shows how faith communities have struggled to balance loyalty to nation with loyalty to God. In an age of drones and digital warfare, she calls the Church to remain a voice of conscience—a brake on the machinery of violence—reminding us that God’s image resides not only in ourselves, but also in those we call the enemy.

In Indulgences and Grace, preached on Reformation Sunday, Rev. Stephen Milton revisits Martin Luther’s protest against the sale of indulgences—a system that turned forgiveness into a transaction to fund St. Peter’s Basilica. Drawing on Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Rev. Milton contrasts prideful religion with humble repentance, reminding us that God’s grace cannot be bought or earned—it is freely given. From Luther’s challenge to church corruption to the United Church’s own repentance for past harms, Milton traces how faith deepens when it admits its failings and turns toward grace. True reformation, he concludes, comes not from defending our righteousness but from embracing God’s love and extending it to others with humility and compassion.

In Command-Meant, Rev. Stephen Milton explores how God’s laws—far from being restrictive—are meant to give life meaning and depth. Drawing parallels between modern debates over speed cameras and the ancient psalmist’s joy in following God’s commandments, he contrasts external enforcement with the inner freedom that comes from self-discipline. The Hebrew word mitzvah, often translated as “commandment,” carries a richer sense: a divine guideline that benefits both the individual and the community. Rev. Milton shows how Jesus distilled 613 laws into two—love God and love your neighbour—transforming obedience into relationship. In a world suspicious of limits, the sermon reminds us that slowing down, showing care, and choosing love freely lead not to less life, but to more.      

In Thank You, preached on Thanksgiving Sunday, Rev. Stephen Milton explores the healing power of gratitude through the story of the ten lepers. Only one—a Samaritan outsider—returns to thank Jesus, crossing social, religious, and physical borders in his act of faith. Rev. Milton contrasts this ancient gratitude with today’s culture of ratings and transactions, where appreciation is often reduced to stars and reviews. True gratitude, he reminds us, is not about judgment or worth but about humility and connection—a soul-level recognition of grace freely given. Drawing on examples from handwritten thank-you notes to a restaurant covered in messages of thanks, Milton shows how gratitude can dissolve boundaries, foster generosity, and make us whole in spirit. In a divided world, he calls us to rediscover gratitude as a sacred practice that heals both giver and receiver.      

In Uprooted, Rev. Stephen Milton explores how faith helps us confront our deepest bitterness and pride. Reflecting on Jesus’ teaching that even faith the size of a mustard seed can uproot a sycamine tree, he reveals how this image symbolizes our ability—with God’s help—to release resentment that has sunk deep roots in our hearts. Through the humble metaphor of an apple, Rev. Milton invites us to see creation’s complexity as a reflection of God’s own subtle, multi-dimensional nature. Against the rise of simplistic, divisive versions of Christianity, the sermon calls believers to embrace nuance, humility, and forgiveness. True faith, Milton suggests, is not about claiming superiority, but about asking God to transform bitterness into compassion—so we can help others when they stumble and become, in turn, the apple of God’s eye.      

In That Time Jesus Told a Joke, Rev. Stephen Milton unpacks one of Jesus’ strangest parables—the tale of a lazy, dishonest manager who cooks the books and somehow earns praise. Rather than glorifying fraud, Jesus uses satire to poke fun at religious leaders who obsess over piety while ignoring God’s abundance. Drawing on the image of olive trees producing thousands of extra fruits and the Buddhist idea of “interbeing,” Rev. Milton shows that creation itself is built on generosity and connection. The parable invites us to laugh at our pretensions and embrace God’s call to share freely, delighting in a world made for joy and community.

In Worship or Praise?, Rev. Stephen Milton traces how Christianity’s suspicion of animals—from the golden calf story to medieval theology—helped shape a worldview that treats creatures as soulless resources for human use. Drawing on Indigenous teachings and scripture, he contrasts this with traditions that see animals as conscious, spiritual beings interconnected with all life. In an age of climate crisis, Rev. Milton challenges us to move beyond domination toward reverence: not to worship animals as gods, but to praise them as neighbours who share God’s spirit and whose flourishing is bound up with our own.