4343 yearsyears ofof coveringcovering SouthSouth BeltBelt Voice of Community-Minded People since 1976 Thursday, June 27, 2019 Email: [email protected] www.southbeltleader.com Vol. 44, No. 22 Chase ends on SJC campus A police chase ended on the grounds of San Jacinto College South around 3:30 p.m. Morgan steps down as Sagemont senior pastor Tuesday, June 25. According to police, HPD offi cers were in pursuit of a theft suspect in In a letter sent to follow Him, He would allow me to witness His main on staff as the ture,” Morgan said. a vehicle on Beamer near Astoria when dep- church members the fi rst power and presence in a way that only a few have founding pastor and will Biography uties from the Precinct 2 Constable’s offi ce week of June, Dr. John ever seen.” Morgan wrote in the letter. continue to preach in A 1959 Pasadena High School graduate, joined the chase. The pursuit traveled through D. Morgan, senior pastor In those 53 years, Sagemont Church has wit- the 9:30 a.m. worship Morgan transformed the once-small Sagemont the College Place subdivision, before the sus- of Sagemont Church for nessed 18,060 baptisms and 20,208 professions services on Sundays. ministry into one of the largest and most influen- pect’s vehicle had a blowout, and the driver 53 years, announced the of faith. Gifts throughout the debt-free church’s He will also be leading tial faith institutions in the state. fl ed on foot onto the campus, where he was beginning of a transition history have totaled $363,956,186 for ministry “fund-lowering” efforts Morgan’s father, Dr. L.D. Morgan, was the located and apprehended. period that would fi nd his use locally and worldwide. as the church prepares to pastor of the First Baptist Church in Pasadena for successor as leader of the In a video shown to the church congregation build a new $12 million more than 33 years. It was First Baptist that Leader seeks vacation pics 21,000-member church. in services on June 9, Morgan likened the com- building for student min- licensed and ordained John Morgan, as he contin- The Leader is seeking readers’ 2019 vaca- The church marked its ing transition to a baseball team, in which there istry to replace facilities ued his studies at Baylor University (BA 1963) tion photos. First-, second- and third-place priz- 53rd anniversary, along John D. Morgan comes a time where the starting pitcher hands off destroyed by Hurricane Chuck Schneider and at Southwestern Baptist Theological es of Schlitterbahn tickets will be awarded for with Morgan’s 53rd as the pitching role to the bullpen. Harvey. Seminary (BD 1966). Post-graduate degrees the best submissions July and August. Submis- pastor, on June 2. During the transition period, a search team Executive Pastor Chuck Schneider will serve include a Lit. D. degree from the California sions should include where and when the pho- “Fifty-three years ago, God led me to will be formed to fi nd the next senior pastor of as the interim senior pas- School of Theology (1982) and a Doctorate of to was taken, details about the trip and first and Sagemont Church and promised me if I would Sagemont Church. Meanwhile, Morgan will re- tor for all daily opera- Sacred Theology from Southwest Baptist last names of each person in the photo. All pho- tions and leadership pur- University (1986). tos must be high resolution. Email photos to my poses. In 1966, Morgan formed what would become [email protected]. Teaching Pastor Dr. Sagemont Church. His original congregation J.R. Richard visits Leader Freeman Tomlin will consisted of 16 members. That number has now Beverly Hills CC meets preach in the 11:15 a.m. grown to around 21,000. worship services on Sun- Under Dr. Morgan’s direction, Sagemont has The Beverly Hills Civic Club will hold days and on the church’s been a frequent partner with local schools and a meeting Thursday, June 27, at the Beverly “Living Truth” television other entities and has served as a headquarters for Hills Community Center, 10201 Kingspoint, program that airs Sunday the American Red Cross during storms and other from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. All Beverly Hills residents mornings in Houston. emergencies, and has provided shelter for hun- are urged to attend. Morgan said that while Freeman Tomlin dreds of families during times of need. the past 53 years have been great at Sagemont A massive expansion at Sagemont under Young benefit planned Church, the best is yet to come. Morgan’s direction included the installation of a A benefi t for Houston Police Offi cer Thom- “Hats off to the past and coats off to the fu- Continued on Page 2A as “Gene” Young will be held 1 to 9 p.m. Sat- urday, June 29, at 2-A-Days Sports Bar, 10555 Pearland Parkway. Young was recently diag- Fireworks regulations confuse some nosed with stage IV cancer. He and his wife, Kathy, have two young sons and a daughter due The Fourth of July is around the corner, and down Beamer, however, where the laws are a little in June. The event will include a live auction (at many South Belt residents are understandably less murky. 6 p.m.) and a raffl e. Raffl e tickets are $5 each or confused as to the current regulations involving Once again this year, fi reworks will be avail- $20 for fi ve. Barbecue plates will be available the sale and possession of personal fi reworks. able for sale in unincorporated parts of Harris for $10. For information or to make a donation, A new fi reworks stand, located in the Food County along Beamer Road, near Dixie Farm visit www.assisttheoffi cer.com. Town parking lot at Scarsdale and Beamer, has Road and FM 2351. (See related ad on Page 6B.) raised controversy this year, as it is presumed by While the stretch of road was once a hot spot Gulf Freeway closures set local offi cials to be prohibited by area ordinances. for such booths, the practice was prohibited in The Leader has been told by local offi cials July 2009 by the City of Friendswood Fire Mar- There will be a total closure of the northbound that the stand was issued a permit from the City shal’s Offi ce, citing extraterritorial jurisdiction frontage road of the Gulf Freeway from NASA of Houston, despite the fact that the sale of the (ETJ). Road 1 to FM 518 through 5 a.m. Sunday, June products is prohibited by an agreement between ETJ is the legal ability of a governing body to 30. At least one northbound and one southbound the city and the Clear Brook City MUD. exercise authority beyond its normal boundaries, main lane and frontage road lane on the Gulf Former South Belt resident and Houston Astros pitcher J.R. Richard (rear in blue) recent- At press time, Wednesday, Clear Brook City given that an agreement has been reached with Freeway from NASA Bypass/NASA Road 1 to ly visited the Leader offi ce. The all-star pitcher, who now leads a foundation for area youth, MUD offi cials and other community leaders the adjoining municipality. SH 96/League City Parkway will be closed daily will be among the participants in the annual South Belt July 4 parade. Pictured above were taking steps to have the fi reworks stand In this instance, the City of Friendswood from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and nightly from 9 p.m. to with Richard are, left to right, Diddy Clark, Laura Benavides Scallan, Rosa Graham, David shut down. worked jointly with the City of Houston, the City 5 a.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Alternate en- Flickinger, Alexis Lochner, Lula Richard (Richard’s wife), Natalie Abarca, Bobby Griffi n The sale of the products is still allowed just Continued on Page 2A trance and exit ramps will be closed. and James Bolen. Photo by Marie Flickinger The northbound exit ramp on the Gulf Free- way between SH 96/League City Parkway and FM 518 will be closed continuously through 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. Drivers traveling north Annual 4th of July parade, fireworks show set on the main lanes will continue to NASA Road 1, exit, then U-turn and come back to FM 518. South Belt residents are gearing up for the Former South Belt resident and Houston As- The closures are associated with ongoing con- annual Independence Day parade and fi reworks tros pitcher J.R. Richard will also be participat- struction to widen the freeway from three to fi ve display, both set to take place Thursday, July 4. ing in this year’s event. San Jacinto lanes in each direction and the frontage roads Parade All are welcome to participate in the event, College South from two to three lanes in each direction. ➔ Now in its 32nd year, the South Belt Fourth of including both commercial and noncommercial ➔ ➔ ➔ July parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Beverly Hills entries. While it is not necessary to do so, partic- Sabo Hughes ➔ Beltway closures planned Intermediate, located at 11111 Beamer Road. ipants are encouraged to decorate their vehicles, ➔ ➔ ➔ Parade The eastbound and westbound U-turn lanes This year’s event will be a salute to all mili- trailers and fl oats. Prizes will be awarded to the ➔ at Beltway 8 and Beamer will be closed con- tary, with several service members from Elling- most patriotic and most original entries in both Thursday, tinuously through 9 a.m.