MAKING ROOM
FOR EVERYONE
More Stories
for Building a
Children’s Chapel
BILL GORDH
Copyright © 2020 by Bill Gordh
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Church Publishing
19 East 34th Street
New York, NY 10016
Many of these stories have been retold for this book, having been adapted by the author from his other publications. “Inga and the Ten Fairy Helpers,” “The Stonecutter,” and “The Honeypot” were originally published in Stories in Action: Interactive Tales and Activities to Promote Early Literacy by Bill Gordh (Libraries Unlimited, 2006). The following stories are adapted from the seven volumes of The Seven Towers of Wonder by Bill Gordh (Thornwillow Press): Vol. I: The Tower of Courage (2011): “Inchworm Mountain,” “A Bundle of Sticks,” and “Three Friends”; Vol. II: The Tower of Hope (2012): “The Boulevard of Somersaults,” “The Peaceful Night,” and “The Happy Man’s Shirt”; Vol. III: The Tower of Justice (2013): “The Crow Ship”; Vol. IV: The Tower of Faith (2014): “Mr. Wanna Be Big,” “Time Will Tell,” and “Whatever Comes My Way”; Vol. V: The Tower of Wisdom (2015): “Half a Blanket” and “The Best King”; and Vol. VII: The Tower of Love (2015): “Bread to Roses” and “The Most Beautiful Gift.”
Cover design: Beth Oberholtzer
Photo of art on cover: Anne Holm
Interior design and typeset by: Beth Oberholtzer
A record of this book is available from the Library of Congress
ISBN-13: 9781640652583 (pbk.)
ISBN-13: 9781640652590 (ebook)
In loving memory of
my dear wife Jenny Lewis
and my father George Gordh and
mother Gwen Gordh
and
in honor of
my daughter Rachel
my son Cody and his wife Chanta
and their baby, my grandson
Lewis James Gordh (born 11.22.2019)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Foreword | |
| Introduction | |
| PART ONE Creating the Framework for Storytelling | |
| Chapter 1 Setting Up Chapel | |
| PART TWO Stories of Self | Heritage |
| Chapter 2 Mr. Wanna Be Big | African American |
| Focusing on what we are not can really getin the way of celebrating all that we are. | |
| Chapter 3 Inga | Sweden |
| We can do more than we think. | |
| Chapter 4 The Stonecutter | Japanese |
| We are often more than we think we are;it can take a journey to discover that whatat first looks better may not be at all. | |
| Chapter 5 Whatever Comes My Way | England |
| With the right attitude, anything that comesour way can become an opportunity. | |
| Chapter 6 The Happy Man’s Shirt | Italy |
| True happiness starts from within. | |
| Chapter 7 The Best King | Thailand |
| What kind of person do we want to be?Like the kind of person we admire. | |
| Chapter 8 The Hummingbird and the Fire | Southern Africa |
| Each of us should do whatever we can tomake the world better. | |
| PART THREE Stories of Family and Friends | Heritage |
| Chapter 9 A Bundle of Sticks | East Africa |
| We are stronger when we work together. | |
| Chapter 10 Turtle, Deer, and Dove | Thailand |
| Each friend uses its gifts to help others. | |
| Chapter 11 Half a Blanket | Mexico |
| A child’s compassion leads the way. | |
| Chapter 12 Crow and Hen and the Drum | Southern Africa |
| Trust sits at the center of friendship. | |
| Chapter 13 The Street of the Somersault | Mexico |
| A little girl who turns down friendsdiscovers their importance. | |
| Chapter 14 Moving a Mountain | China |
| It can take generations to accomplish achange. | |
| Chapter 15 Trapped Birds | India |
| Sometimes a group can accomplish whatan individual cannot. | |
| PART FOUR Stories of Faith, New Life, and Celebration | Heritage |
| Chapter 16 Inchworm Mountain | Miwok |