Seeing history from another angle Posted on June 30, 2025

Poppleton Methodist Church as seen from the Village Green where John Wesley preached in 1757. Wesley's sermon led local believers to organize this church. The Manse, next door to the church, predates the church and was built in 1701. ~ photo courtesy Glenn Wagner

In this devotional, Glenn Wagner shares a significant personal lesson he learned on the Fourth of July that can apply to the way we engage cross-culturally with one another.

GLENN M. WAGNER
Michigan Conference Communications

The Fourth of July is our national remembrance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia.

The following year, Philadelphia marked the first anniversary with a grand display of fireworks, bonfires, and the ringing of bells. Celebrations spread to other cities and included public readings of the Declaration, speeches, parades, and military demonstrations.

In 1870, Congress made the Fourth of July a federal holiday, and it became a paid holiday for federal employees in 1938.

During my life, the Fourth of July has been filled with cherished memories, including parades, fireworks, picnics, family vacations, and reunions. The words of the Declaration of Independence have shaped my values. I, too, support equality, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Members of my extended family served during World War II, defending those values.

One Fourth of July observance taught me an important lesson I have not forgotten.

In 1999, July 4 was a Sunday. I had just completed leading my first Sunday worship as the summer exchange pastor for the Poppleton Methodist Church in Upper Poppleton, England. This 8-week summer pastoral exchange was facilitated as part of a former program of the World Methodist Council. While I traveled with my family to serve a circuit of churches near York, the Poppleton pastor, Rev. Daniel Mwailu, and his family came to North Muskegon, Michigan, to lead Community UMC for the summer.

The Poppleton congregation traces its beginnings to a sermon by John Wesley, who visited their village on July 13, 1757, to preach the gospel on the village green, across the street from where followers of Wesley eventually built their church.

As a pastor, I was fluent in the English language but ignorant about British idioms and church practices. My ignorance immediately created unintended offense.

During the time of worship for the children’s message, I invited the children to sit with me on the steps of the chancel. The audible gasp from the congregation should have been a warning. I was unaware that this was a serious departure from their local practice. The chancel is considered sacred space. Children’s sermons were typically delivered with the pastor standing in the elevated pulpit, looking down at the children sitting outside the sacred space in the front pews. Leaders, like pastors and teachers in England, traditionally sit or stand higher than children as a symbol of authority and respect.

Then I further ruffled the congregation when I shared a sermon illustration about my common lunch practice of eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I learned afterward that “jelly” in England is used to pack ham in cans or the gelatin we refer to in America as Jell-O. It is not used to describe the fruit preserves we call jelly. The congregants thought my appetite for “jelly” with peanut butter was unappetizing. My second gaffe caused some congregants to be preoccupied and miss the rest of my message about God’s love and grace.

After the July 4 service, members of the congregation prepared a festive welcome celebration for this guest pastor and his family in the church garden. Food and beverages were served. Decorations included small tabletop British and American flags. I thanked the congregants for their warm and gracious welcome, mistakenly assuming the American flags were in honor of America’s Independence Day.

I was quickly and politely corrected. July 4 in England is still remembered as the day of American Insurrection!

I remain grateful for the tolerant acceptance and hospitality we received from the gracious people of Poppleton, as well as the important life lessons and friendships we have retained through our cross-cultural exchange.

However, we don’t all see the world from the same perspective.

Differences of opinion exist. History is remembered differently in different parts of our world. We are better people when we learn to understand and respect those differences.

My Fourth of July lesson in 1999 from the British point of view reminds me again that grievances endure long after wars are so-called settled. How can we encourage greater personal and international investments in truth-telling, community building, and growing relationships that can foster peace? And how might we find gracious ways to engage cross-culturally, respecting personal opinions and different remembrances of history?

Gracious God, thank you for the way you have modeled your love for us in the life and sacrifice of Jesus. Help us in a world filled with differences to find ways to embody the values of our Declaration of Independence. “All persons are created equal and are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” May our words and deeds reflect our Fourth of July values and help to make it so for all of your people. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Last Updated on July 2, 2025