Making Room for Everyone

Bill Gordh

Description

A diverse collection of stories that honors, uplifts, and educates both the reader and the audience.

This volume shows that stories can reflect and represent the students that hear them.

Working with the same overall themes of his first book, Building a Children's Chapel: One Story at a Time, Bill Gordh presents a wide range of folktales from around the world, stories from different faith traditions, and some updates of the original volume. The stories are presented to be told aloud, complete with storytelling tips and musical suggestions for each. Thirty-five curated folktales and stories from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, African, Asian, Scandinavian, and Native American traditions support the values that many desire to instill in children. As an award-winning storyteller, banjoist, author, and educator, Bill Gordh offers a storytelling approach that honors both the source material and the children who listen.

Those who are engaged with the spiritual growth of children will find this book invaluable.

Age range: 3 - 8 years old, Grade Level: Preschool to 5th Grade

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Religious
• Values
• Juvenilee Fiction
• Virtues
• Diversity
• Christian

Informations

• Publié par: Church Publishing Incorporated
• Date de parution: 17 août 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781640652590
• Langue: English

Extrait

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 www.churchpublishing.org
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 get in 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 what at first looks better may not be at all. Chapter 5 Whatever Comes My Way England With the right attitude, anything that comes our 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 to make 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 friends discovers their importance. Chapter 14 Moving a Mountain China It can take generations to accomplish a change. Chapter 15 Trapped Birds India Sometimes a group can accomplish what an individual cannot. PART FOUR Stories of Faith, New Life, and Celebration Heritage Chapter 16 Inchworm Mountain Miwok Persistence pays off. (Native American) Chapter 17 The Ax of Gold Greece A poor man is rewarded for his honesty. Chapter 18 A Night of Peace Scotland There is a chance for peace in the world. Chapter 19 King Solomon and the First Temple Jewish Choosing a place to gather: sacred space. Chapter 20 The Fastest Southern Africa Compassion leads to more compassion. Chapter 21 The Town of Good Fortune Jewish Let s look anew at what we have. Chapter 22 Time Will Tell Middle East Trust in the ways of life. PART FIVE Stories of the Value of All Living Things Heritage Chapter 23 Little Ant and the Lion King Myanmar Big and little alike are valuable in this world. Chapter 24 The Crow Ship Central South America The dangers of pre-judging. Chapter 25 The Cracked Pot China Everyone has value. Chapter 26 The Bunyip Australia A story of honoring animals in their habitats. Chapter 27 The Calabash Children West Africa Every child has value. Chapter 28 Adilah and the White Snake North Africa May kindness be our guide. Chapter 29 Companion Tales The value of the elderly. A Ride Up the Hill Korea A Thatched Roof Vietnam PART SIX Stories of Giving and Forgiving Heritage Chapter 30 The Boy Who Wanted a Drum India Considering the needs of others. Chapter 31 From Bread to Roses Italy Generosity can turn a life around. Chapter 32 Three Loaves of Bread Jewish Generosity is repaid. Chapter 33 The Honey Pot Arabic What each of us does makes a difference. Chapter 34 Shoulda Done Better Original Asking for forgiveness leads the way to amends. Chapter 35 The Lion and the Boy Ethiopia How our words can wound. PART SEVEN The Songbook Chapter 36 Introduction to The Songbook Chapter 37 About the Songs Chapter 38 The Shelter Island Songs: Outlines for Family Services Chapter 39 Songs with Lyrics and Notation Acknowledgments
FOREWORD
The chapel service at the Episcopal School of New York is about to begin. A sense of anticipation is palpable: parents are gathering, and children and their teachers are entering the chapel space. In the front of the room sits Bill Gordh, calmly playing music on his banjo. His face glows with a sense of welcome; so, too, he communicates to both adult and child that this is a distinctive time and space, in stark contrast to the business as usual that can quickly fill up the day of those now gathering here, in this moment. As Bill quietly and devotedly sets the tone, he in turn is sensing the tone of the group, picking up cues regarding mood, worry, and preoccupation. Some of the children point to their artwork, which Bill will use in the chapel service. This is both a very happy time as well as a serious time.
As the chapel service begins, Bill establishes an atmosphere of reverence, empathy, and, above all, welcome. Children and adults both feel that sense of welcome: they have come to associate this chapel space and service with a clear sense of belonging, regardless of their religious affiliation or no affiliation at all. To believer and nonbeliever alike, something important is happening here. Thanks to Bill s masterful leadership, not to mention sheer hard work and careful preparation, chapel at the Episcopal School is an experience that those gathered have come to look forward to, as they know something out of the ordinary is about to take place.
As Bill leads the group in song, then tells a story, he displays an adeptness at connecting with his congregation. He knows the developmental and spiritual needs of children, he understands not only how to keep their attention, but to involve them in the story he is telling. As is the case with so many children s chapels, one child shouts out something surprising, perhaps distracting, but Bill knows not only how to respond, but how to include that child s observation into the wondrous web of story and song he is developing.
Bill Gordh stands firmly within the oral tradition that lies at the base of our biblical faith. He communicates through story the elements of grace, mercy, and hope that the biblical writers have gifted us. At the same time, Bill has developed a unique talent for incorporating folktales from throughout the world into his chapel repertoire. His sense of inclusion and a wide embrace of the spiritual resources from a variety of traditions, both sacred and secular, have augmented his chapel services in recent years. His distinctive sense of curiosity, reflected in this unique assemblage of folktales and songs, is something he communicates to all of those gathered for the chapel service each week. He invites his congregation to be curious about God and the spiritual and moral life.
The title of this book, Making Room for Everyone , is as much a reflection of who Bill Gordh is, as a leader and advocate for children s worship, as what he strives to accomplish in this remarkable volume. Through his understanding of children, his utilization of a vast array of resources, and his remarkable openness to the moment, Bill makes room, plenty of room. The care he exhibits each week in chapel is so evident in the care he has taken here to provide an exhaustive set of resources, combined with the wisdom he shares with us about children, their spiritual needs, and the place apart he constructs in chapel.
The pages ahead give clear evidence of the work not only of a theoretician-Bill clearly knows his subject matter-but a practitioner. To me, what is so remarkable about this book is how much it is a reflection of what Bill does each week in school chapel. For many years Episcopal schools have been greatly blessed by Bill Gordh s leadership. He has helped countless educators understand more fully how to make room for children in this experience we call worship. His diligence, serious thinking, and welcoming demeanor help make our encounter with the living God transformative, liberating, and joyful. So, too, he gently guides us in such a way that even those who are struggling with how to lead worship for children will feel supported, equipped, and even excited about what can happen in chapel.
Thanks to Bill, and the extensive array of resources he has provided here, there is plenty of room, even in a small space and particularly for sm