THE MISSIVE

by Apostle John Louis Hickman, Jr. 

The Holy Scriptures and ancient Christian writers make it clear that from the apostles' time, there have been different ministries within the Church. In particular, since the time of the New Testament, three distinct orders of ordained ministers have been characteristic of Christ's holy, universal Church. First, there is the order of bishops who carryon the apostolic work of leading, supervising, and uniting the Church. Secondly, associated with them are the presbyters, or ordained elders, in subsequent times generally known as priests. Together with the bishops, they take part in the governance of the Church, in the carrying out of its missionary and pastoral work, and in the preaching of the Word of God and administering His holy Sacraments. Thirdly, there are deacons who assist bishops and elders in all of this work. It is also a special responsibility of deacons to minister in Christ's Name to the poor, the sick, the suffering, and the helpless.

The persons who are chosen and recognized by the Church as being called by God to the ordained ministry are admitted to these sacred orders by solemn prayer and the laying on of Episcopal hands. It is the intention and purpose of this Church to maintain and continue these three orders. No persons are allowed to exercise the offices of bishop, elder, deacon, or wear their insignia in this Church unless they are so ordained, or have already received such ordination with the laying on of hands by bishops who are themselves duly qualified to confer Holy Orders.

We claim the Apostolic Succession from Christ and· His apostles through Augustine of Rome who established the Church in England, which came to be known as ''Anglicana'' and from which came the Episcopal Church and Methodism in America. From that stream, we are ordained by one of the sons of John Wesley, and from that same stream, we are consecrated by bishops who were themselves set apart as Ordinariates from Methodism and successors to Saint James and the Apostles of Jesus Christ. By this claim, which is well documented, we, therefore, pass that same Apostolic Succession on to the persons that we shall consecrate, the right of succession. 

 
In this Service of Affirmation, we shall confirm the worthy servant of the Lord, 'Gene Autry Moore, Sr., to the higher Episcopal Office of prelature for service in the Body in Christ as an Apostle. An apostle is a bishop of higher rank. He is not consecrated into this office since his bishopric has already been established. The Apostle is affirmed or commissioned to carryon the greater and broader sphere of the work he is already engaged in doing. The Apostle hears what the Spirit is saying to the churches; declares that to the Body of Christ, and then sets things in order accordingly, for the growth and maturity of the church. Apostles minister in several ways, including ecclesiastical, functional, congregational oversight in vertical lines of authority as well as horizontal connections which include convening, ambassadorial, mobilizing, and territorial spheres of influence. A more accepted term in the Universal Church for this role is Archbishop or Metropolitan. The word archbishop is Greek for chief overseer. Therefore, Apostle is not a separate order of clergy, it is a bishop who has administrative duties over fellow bishops in a geographical region. In summation, The Metropolitan, is a bishop with authority over a group of territorially dioceses and their bishops.

This servant, Gene Autry Moore, Sr., is a gifted Christian leader, taught, commissioned, and sent by God with the authority to establish the foundational government of the church within an assigned sphere of ministry in Houston, and abroad. His leadership reaches beyond geographical, cultural, and denominational boundaries in the Asian, Hispanic, South American, and West African communities. He is a father to the city, regarded for his 40 years of service in humanitarian efforts and ecclesiastical trail blazing for the advancement of God's Kingdom with a fresh wind, innovative spirit, cutting edge insight and the wisdom of the Ancient. Signified by the massive witnesses of sons and daughters birthed out of his loins into prominent pastoral ministries of their own; by the Bishops who are under the covenant of his leadership; and sanctioned by his peers who give credence today that his work is bona fide and speaks for· itself, we acknowledge now is the time to elevate Apostle Moore to this place of honor and servitude. Therefore without reservation, we commend Gene Autry Moore, Sr. to the office of Archbishop.