Brite Monthly – September
This month’s biblical theme is
Patriarchs & Exodus
The stories of the Patriarchs and Exodus tell us how God continuously affirmed His covenant with Abraham to expand His family and to give them a special home. Throughout this month, kids will discover how God rescued His people over and over again as He kept His covenant promises.
Joseph’s Family: Through this story we see how God used Joseph as part of His redemptive plan. God worked through the life of Joseph to preserve Jacob’s family as part of His plan to make them a great nation. God is our Redeemer who takes the bad and uses it for good.
Baby Moses is Rescued: Pharaoh was determined to stop the Israelites. Despite the terrible things he did, God rescued baby Moses. Later, God would use Moses as part of His redemptive plan—Moses would be the future deliverer of Israel, God’s people. God fulfills His covenant promises and His plan is unstoppable.
God Frees His People: The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for over 400 years. God sent Moses and Aaron to ask Pharoah to set them free. God demonstrated to the Israelites and to the Egyptians (and to us reading today!) that He is Lord over everything.
Manna, Quail, and Water from a Rock: After God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, they walked through the wilderness, headed towards the land God had promised them. They grumbled and complained as they grew hungry and thirsty. God knew what they needed and provided for them.
This month’s Unit Title is:
The Israelites faced many wild situations where their survival depended on God. The main character in our video is a survival “expert” who will share real tips for life in the wild. This month’s unit is filled with outdoor adventure and survival skills!. Some fun and creative ways to decorate to match the theme include backpacks, pretend campfires, tents, branches and leaves, first aid kits, “Beware of Bears” signs, and more!
This month’s LeaderTraining Topic is: 
Cultivating a Safe Small Group Environment
To be safe is to be free from harm or danger. Someone who feels safe does not have to spend time or energy worrying about their environment but is free to give their attention to other things, such as building relationships and exploring the world around them. Safety is more than physical safety, which we tend to think of first. A small group should be a place where kids feel mentally and emotionally safe. Their thoughts and feelings are treated with respect, and this communicates care, building trust between group members. Spiritual safety allows kids to show up to the group and express their experiences with faith without fear of judgment or rejection. This helps to create an environment in which kids have the freedom to continue to learn more about God, to explore their questions, and respond to who He is. This month, we’ll explore some important ways to cultivate a small group environment that is emotionally and spiritually safe.
Throughout the month, we’ll explore the following topics:
- Week 1: Creating a Small Group Covenant
- Week 2: Upholding Group Expectations with Consistency and Care
- Week 3: Modeling Authenticity for Kids
- Week 4: Inviting Kids to Participate and Share
Teaching kids about the gospel
The gospel is the good news. God wants everyone to know this good news and to not miss out on this invitation!
God
God is a loving God who is all-powerful and holy. He knows and sees everything, and rules over everything. God created all people in His image, and we are valuable to Him.
Us
But we have sinned, and our sin separates us from God. What is sin? Sin is anything we think, say, or do that disobeys God. The penalty for sin is death and separation from God forever.
Jesus
But because God loves us so much, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus died in our place. But He did not stay dead—He rose again three days later. Because of Jesus, we no longer have to be separated from God and we are offered the free gift of eternal life!
Trust
God gives salvation, rescuing us from our sin, to everyone who places their trust in Jesus as their Savior. What is trust? It means that we rely on what Jesus did. You cannot be saved from sin by doing good things, but only through what Jesus did for you.