Robert T. Hoshibata
Encyclopedia
Robert Tsugio Hoshibata (born 11 October 1951) is an American
Bishop
of The United Methodist Church
, elected in 2004. Robert is notable as a U.M.
Pastor
, District Superintendent
, and Bishop.
and raised in Wahiawa, Hawaii. He married Greta Goo on 10 August 1974. They have three children: Courtney, Lauren and Blake.
degree in 1973 from Wesleyan University
, Middletown, Connecticut
, graduating with high honors. He was a Crusade Scholar (1974–77) while pursuing his D.Min. degree from Claremont School of Theology
, graduating in 1977. He also completed post-graduate study at the Pacific School of Religion
(1979) and the Vancouver School of Theology
(1984).
of the First Congregational
Church of Portland, Connecticut
(1970–71). He then served as a Ministerial Intern at Kahalu'u
U.M.C., Parker U.M.C. and Palolo
U.M.C. in Hawaii
(1974–75). He was the Youth Minister of the North Gardena U.M.C. in Gardena, California
, (1973–74, 1975–77), then appointed as Senior Pastor of the same congregation (1977–84). He served 1984-98 as Senior Pastor of Blaine Memorial U.M.C., Seattle, Washington
. In 1998 he was appointed Superintendent of the Seattle District of the U.M.C., a position he held until elected to the Episcopacy. Dr. Hoshibata also served as Co-superintendent of the Tacoma
District from 1 January until 1 September 2004. He served as the Dean
of the Cabinet
of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference
(2002–04).
. Balloting began at 1:46 p.m. (PT) on 15 July. His election came on the 12th ballot, on 16 July. Eighty-eight delegates were voting. Bishop Hoshibata was consecrated during a 17 July worship service at Los Altos U.M.C. in Los Altos, California
. He was assigned to the Portland
Episcopal Area (the Oregon
-Idaho
Annual Conference), beginning his duties 1 September 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of The United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, elected in 2004. Robert is notable as a U.M.
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, District Superintendent
District Superintendent (United Methodist Church)
A District Superintendent, often abbreviated D.S., in the United Methodist Church is a clergyperson who serves in a supervisory position over a geographic District of churches providing spiritual and administrative leadership to those churches and their pastors...
, and Bishop.
Birth and family
Hoshibata was born 11 October 1951 in Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
and raised in Wahiawa, Hawaii. He married Greta Goo on 10 August 1974. They have three children: Courtney, Lauren and Blake.
Education
Hoshibata earned a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1973 from Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
, Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
, graduating with high honors. He was a Crusade Scholar (1974–77) while pursuing his D.Min. degree from Claremont School of Theology
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont School of Theology is a graduate school located in Claremont, California, offering Master of Art, Masters of Divinity, Doctorate of Ministry and Ph.D...
, graduating in 1977. He also completed post-graduate study at the Pacific School of Religion
Pacific School of Religion
Pacific School of Religion is an ecumenical seminary located in Berkeley, California. It maintains covenantal relationships with the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church and the Disciples of Christ, providing all necessary expectations for candidates to their ordained ministries....
(1979) and the Vancouver School of Theology
Vancouver School of Theology
Vancouver School of Theology, located on the campus of the University of British Columbia, is a multi-denominational graduate school known for its theological innovations while being rooted in Christian traditions...
(1984).
Ordained ministry
Hoshibata's first position was as the youth ministerYouth ministry
Youth ministry, also commonly referred to as Youth group, is an age-specific religious ministry and is the way in which a faith group, or other religious organization involves and engages with the young people who attend its place of worship, or live in its community...
of the First Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Church of Portland, Connecticut
Portland, Connecticut
Portland is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,732 at the 2000 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place . It is situated across the Connecticut River from Middletown....
(1970–71). He then served as a Ministerial Intern at Kahalu'u
Kahalu'u, Hawai'i
Kahaluʻu is a residential community and census-designated place in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, in the District of Koolaupoko on the island of Oahu. In Hawaiian ka haluu means literally "diving place"...
U.M.C., Parker U.M.C. and Palolo
Palolo
Palolo may refer to:*Palolo, Hawaii, a valley and neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii*Palolo worm, a species of invertebrate that lives in tropical coral reefs...
U.M.C. in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
(1974–75). He was the Youth Minister of the North Gardena U.M.C. in Gardena, California
Gardena, California
Gardena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 58,829 at the 2010 census, up from 57,746 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Gardena is located at ....
, (1973–74, 1975–77), then appointed as Senior Pastor of the same congregation (1977–84). He served 1984-98 as Senior Pastor of Blaine Memorial U.M.C., Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. In 1998 he was appointed Superintendent of the Seattle District of the U.M.C., a position he held until elected to the Episcopacy. Dr. Hoshibata also served as Co-superintendent of the Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
District from 1 January until 1 September 2004. He served as the Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
(2002–04).
Episcopal election
Bishop Hoshibata was the first of two Bishops elected in 2004 in the Western Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church, meeting in San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. Balloting began at 1:46 p.m. (PT) on 15 July. His election came on the 12th ballot, on 16 July. Eighty-eight delegates were voting. Bishop Hoshibata was consecrated during a 17 July worship service at Los Altos U.M.C. in Los Altos, California
Los Altos, California
Los Altos is a city at the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city is in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 28,976 according to the 2010 census....
. He was assigned to the Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
Episcopal Area (the Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
-Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
Annual Conference), beginning his duties 1 September 2004.