The changeover counts when passing the baton!

Bishop Mike Royal, CTE General Secretary and Apostolic Pastoral Congress Regional Bishop for the Midlands, shares the story of the investiture of Archbishop Moses Owusu-Seykere the new leader of his church.

October 2024 was a momentous month for the Apostolic Pastoral Congress (APC) in the UK. Archbishop Moses Owusu-Seykere’s investiture took place in London as Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus Doyé T. Agama, the founder of the APC prayed over him alongside other Bishops from the Congress.

The Apostolic Pastoral Congress is vibrantly Pentecostal in its worship and episcopal in its leadership, believing that deacons, priests and bishops are called to lead Christ’s church in the post-Apostolic church age.

Succession or lack of it has been the downfall in so many church movements. When it comes to succession the old adage rings true, those who fail to plan, plan to fail! So often we find ourselves sharing the story of where the church has got it wrong; so it feels fitting we should share when the church gets it right. Succession doesn’t happen by accident, it is about being deliberate in securing the future of the organisation. Archbishop Moses became Presiding Bishop of the APC two years ago. Bishops were appointed to look after English regions in the North, Midlands and Greater London. Archbishop Agama coordinated rigorous training for new priests/pastors and prospective Bishops to ensure those coming into leadership understood the distinctions and values of the APC. Women were encouraged to step into more senior roles, which is vital for the future flourishing of the Congress.

On Friday 18 October the first day of our conference began with an excellent seminar on safeguarding by Annette Williams from the brilliant CTE Charity and Network in Association thirtyone:eight. It finished with a fatherly address from Archbishop Doyé where he expressed both his pride in the development of APC and his confidence for the future.

Saturday 19 October was the occasion of the APC Service of Ordination, Consecration and Investiture at the Freedom Centre International in Welling, South East London. Over 500 people gathered for this auspicious occasion with a mass choir formed for the day. We welcomed ecumenical guests, Min. Shermara Fletcher-Hoyte from Churches Together in England, Rev Dr Israel Olofinjana from the One People Commission of the Evangelical Alliance and Carl Knightley from London City Mission. These are institutions with whom Bishop Moses and the wider APC enjoy a close relationship. The meeting was full of joy, colour, celebration and moments of a profound sense of God’s presence. It was concluded with an excellent rendition of the song Joyful, Joyful made famous by the film Sister Act, chosen by Archbishop Moses and sung by the youth choir.

It was a day we will never forget. For “you will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains the hills will burst into song and all the trees of the field will clap their hands”. (Isaiah 55:12). After a mountain-top experience, the real work continues with the blessing and support of our esteemed founder Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus Doyé T. Agama under the wise leadership our new Archbishop, Moses Owusu-Seykere.