Ernst H. Graf was born into a New Apostolic family on 20 April 1931 in Zurich, Switzerland. He received his first spiritual commission as a Sub-deacon in November 1953. Shortly thereafter, he was transferred to South Africa by his employer.  

In Johannesburg and later in Cape Town, he worked in numerous other ministries and capacities. In 1981, by which time he was already serving as a Bishop, he moved back to Switzerland, where he worked in the head office of the New Apostolic Church. Four years later, he was ordained District Apostle for the districts of Cape and Namibia—and so it was that he moved back to South Africa.

After working in ministry for 43 years—eleven of them as District Apostle—he retired on 15 December 1996.