Gardner SDA Church Distributes Literature at "Rededicate 250"

Gardner SDA church member Kyle Shelton (left) and other Gardner members distributed hundreds of copies of The Great Controversy at the "Rededicate 250" event in Washington, DC, directing people's attention to the Bible's depiction of how to prepare for Jesus' second coming.

On May 17, 2026, members of the Gardner, Massachusetts SDA church joined other Adventists and Adventist organizations to distribute copies of the The Great Controversy at the "Rededicate 250" event held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This event was promoted by some in the highest echelons of our nation's government, including the White House, as a time to come together for prayer and worship to rededicate the nation to God. Big names in both Christian and government circles were present and spoke to the crowd, including the secretary of defense, actor Jonathan Roumie of The Chosen, and Dr. Ben Carson.

However, months before this event, God moved on the hearts of many Seventh-day Adventists across the country to go there with one common purpose -- give out as many copies of The Great Controversy as possible. From as far away as the states of Michigan, Washington, and Illinois, dozens came and joined with ministries such as Amazing Facts to give attendees a book which would show them both how prophecy is being fulfilled right before their eyes and how to be ready for the rapid events of the last days.

With the official endorsement of the church board, two families from the Gardner SDA Church stepped out in faith, traveled to Washington, D.C., and single-handedly distributed hundreds of copies in both physical and audio book formats. Asking for no direct financial support from the church, the effort was miraculously fully funded through generous donors and the participants themselves. Despite encountering numerous logistical difficulties, God paved the way for a successful mission.

"We know this was God's will because it seemed like different people had the same idea at the same time -- go to D.C. and share. I felt like it was my duty, and it ended up being one of the most exciting times of my life," said Kyle Shelton, Gardner church member and participant in the trip. "All of the contributions that made this possible also show that God was leading. God supplied our every need through the generosity of others."

By God's grace, an estimated total of 14,000 copies of The Great Controversy were distributed over that weekend. Even the media coverage of the event testifies to the success of the effort, as many photos taken by major news outlets show attendees with the bags supplied by Amazing Facts, each of which contained a copy of The Great Controversy. We encourage you to pray for those who received these materials.  We also pray that you will respond to the Holy Spirit's calling to share the news about Jesus’ soon return. May we all be ready and willing to help others prepare as well!

Marantha!