This year, the Rewild the Church campaign is really bursting into bloom! Thanks to the passion and efforts of so many across our movement. The seeds of hope we’ve been planting are now sprouting into something truly remarkable – and it’s as exciting as watching the first green shoots of spring!

One bright new seedling has emerged in the form of a private members motion proposed to the General Synod by Reverend Canon Valerie Plumb in January. The motion echoes the call of our movement –  asking the Church Commissioners to commit to protecting nature on 30% of their land by 2030, or as soon as possible. We’re so grateful to have contributed to this motion alongside other organisations such as Operation Noah, Christian Climate Action and Green Christian who’ve been championing Creation care for years. 

Why is this motion significant? The General Synod is the Church of England’s national assembly, with real influence on the Church Commissioners. If this motion is debated and passed it will signal a bold, collective step by the Church toward addressing one of the greatest challenges of our time: ecological and climate collapse. The General Synod was instrumental in driving the Church Commissioners to divest from fossil fuels. This motion similarly reaffirms that the Commissioners must act to support the Church in fulfilling the Fifth Mark of Mission to “safeguard the integrity of creation”, this time by putting its land towards protecting nature.

But here’s the catch: for the motion to even be debated, it needs at least 100 signatures from General Synod members. And our movement has risen to the occasion! Over 270 of you have reached out to your local Synod representatives, sharing the motion and asking for their support. Your voices are making a difference – there are already 84 signatures and counting! If you haven’t taken part in this action yet, you can still send your email using this handy tool.

Last week, General Synod members gathered at Church House in London for their first big meeting of the year. On Thursday evening they were joined by some familiar faces: Rewild the Church supporters Chris Packham and Deborah Meaden, alongside Rev’d Val. Together, they shared why 30×30 isn’t just a target, it’s a golden opportunity for the Church to lead with love and action.

Chris painted a vivid picture of the challenges we face, but also reminded us that we have the tools to turn the tide. As he put it: “We’re asking for a creative conversation about transitioning from one system to another – to ensure a secure, happy, healthy future on our one and only home.”

Deborah brought her investor’s insight, highlighting the opportunities in nature restoration and the risks of inaction. “What does ‘best return’ mean? If it’s just cash, that’s wrong. What could be more important than supporting our life-support systems? The Church has a real opportunity to grab this moment and do the right thing – and show real leadership.”

Rev’d Val reminded the room that, existing in nature, we are a part of something profoundly beautiful: “As Christians, it is our responsibility to uphold God’s Creation in any way we can. We’ve seen so much good work across our parishes. Our Church Commissioners have done, and are doing, some good work in this area. But the question I’m asking is, simply, is it enough?” 

All three speakers left the room buzzing with possibility, and with the resounding message that the Church, as both a spiritual leader and one of the UK’s largest landowners, has the resources, and the responsibility, to help nature flourish once more. 

Read more about the motion, and the event at the General Synod, in this Church Times article. 

So, what’s next? Sign up here to find out about more opportunities to take action and help us to keep nurturing this seed of hope! Together, we can help the Church of England bloom as a beacon of environmental stewardship, showing the world what it means to care for each other and the natural world we are a part of with courage and joy.