St John the Baptist Church
Somerby Green
Belleau
Louth, Lincs
LN13 0BW
Belleau
Louth, Lincs
LN13 0BW
The Church is dedicated to St John the Baptist, the great forerunner of Christ, who calls us to draw close to him in humble repentance. He refused to renounce his principles despite making an enemy of the king, for which he ultimately lost his life.
Almighty God,
by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born,
and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Saviour
by the preaching of repentance:
lead us to repent according to his preaching
and, after his example,
constantly to speak the truth, boldly to rebuke vice,
and patiently to suffer for the truth's sake;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born,
and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Saviour
by the preaching of repentance:
lead us to repent according to his preaching
and, after his example,
constantly to speak the truth, boldly to rebuke vice,
and patiently to suffer for the truth's sake;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
The church was rebuilt in early 1300s and again in 1862. A display of the rich and unique history of this beautiful place will be viewable for the festival. Highlights for a visitor include the base of a medieval preaching cross in the front churchyard; a 13th century effigy of a knight, recumbent in chain mail: the monument is supposed to have come from the nearby Cistercian Priory at Greenfield; a tablet stone on south wall of nave commemorating Sir Henry Vane, who retired to Belleau, having served as governor of the early colony of Massachusetts, and in Cromwell's government. He was executed under Charles II.