By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Phillips

Up until a few years ago, when he got sick, Bishop Jasper Jaye Phillips never missed a Sunday doing what he did best - preaching.

The pastor of First Pentecostal Church in North Avondale and founder of the Zion Temple Christian Academy moved his parishioners through his powerful, eloquent delivery of sermons. "He was a person of absolute faith. A person of dedication and a very good administrator," said his son, Ronald of Avondale. "He had a great singing voice. He was always requested to sing at weddings."

Bishop Phillips died Wednesday at his home in Hyde Park. The former Avondale resident was 87.

Born in Metter, Ga., his family moved to Cincinnati and settled in the East End - where they lived in a houseboat - when he was 8.

In 1936, around the same time he married Beulah K. Caldwell, he joined the First Pentecostal Church. After holding many positions within the church, he was named pastor on February 7, 1950.

He held offices in the district, state, and national levels in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, including chairman of the Southern Ohio District of Young People; vice chairman of the Ohio State Young People; and chairman of the International Foreign Missions Board.

Recently, under his direction, the youth department at First Pentecostal Church held a Burnet Avenue street meeting at Burnet and Rockdale Avenues.

Under his direction the First Pentecostal Church moved twice - first to a building on Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills in 1959, and later to its present site in the former Isaac Wise Center in North Avondale.

He founded the Zion Temple of Christian Academy - which currently has an enrollment of about 200 students in 1983.

For about 40 years, he broadcasted his Sunday service on WCIN.

Besides his son, Ronald, other survivors include his wife of 67 years, Beulah of Hyde Park; a brother, Rufus of Hyde Park; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be 2-6 p.m., today and 11 a.m.-noon, Monday at Zion Temple First Pentecostal Church, 3771 Reading Road, North Avondale.

A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. today , also at the church.

Funeral will be at noon Monday at the church. Burial will follow at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Memorials: Zion Temple First Pentecostal Church.

Email: nhamilton@enquirer.com