The Apostolic Temple was founded 17 July 1964. The Rev R E Pennington was the first minister and the temple was bought in 1968 from Talmud Torah. It had no basement and after a short time more space was needed. A space 40X50X9 feet was dug by hand and is now used as the school. The Elder Wilburn Depew has been with the temple since 1965.
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The Cincinnati Post, Friday, June 14, 1996

REV ULYSSES PENNINGTON, FOUNDED NEWPORT CHURCH

Rev Ulysses E Pennington, who founded the Apostolic Temple in a storefront in Newport and turned it into a vibrant church, died Wednesday at Providence Hospital in Cincinnati, He was 71.

Rev Pennington’s father was a minister and as a young man, Ulysses preached in his father’s church. Young Pennington worked in the building trades, building houses and later becoming a bricklayer for Armco Steel in Cincinnati. But his calling was always to preach. He opened a small church in a storefront on York Street in Newport in 1962. Six years later his church had grown so large that he and his wife, Iva, bought the current Apostolic Temple building at 117 E Fifth St in Newport.

"It was not in good repair," said church pianist and longtime friend, Carolyn Barton of Ludlow. "The top was falling in. But God worked miracles for him to repair it. Armco sent a crane to raise this huge beam." Rev Pennington was a dynamic speaker who based his life and his preaching on the Bible. "You build your church on young people." Mrs. Barton said. "He was the kind of person that young people flock to. He got them involved in the church, playing the music. Young and old alike loved him."

He and his family lived in Cincinnati but Rev Pennington spent most of his time at the church. He was an artist, a musician; a singer was a rich base voice and the church’s prime handyman. He repaired the walls and then he painted murals on them.

"He put everything he had into the church," she said. "I know there were times when Sister Pennington and he had a hard time because he’d use his paychecks to make sure the work of God went on." The church grew to the point where members had to come early to find seats and 600 attended Sunday School classes. In the early 1970s, Rev Pennington had several heart attacks and once collapsed while preaching. Church members rushed to the platform, but he had no pulse. "People began praying and God raised him up." Mrs. Barton said. "He told us he heard a voice saying; I’m not through with you yet."

Rev Pennington returned to preaching and led his congregation for 20 more years. He suffered another heart attack in December and in the past two months had been hospitalized for heart trouble several times.

Besides his wife, he is survived by a son, Richard Farmer of Merritt Island, Fla; daughters Carol Setser of Ft Wright and Kathleen Simpson of Cincinnati; sisters Edith Stone of Syracuse NY; and Frances Rathburn of Deltona Fla; eight grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild.

Services will be at 8pm today at the church with visitation beginning at 5pm. Burial will be in Oak Hills Cemetery, Cincinnati. Radel Funeral Home, Newport is in charge of the arrangements.

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