Wilbur Wong Yan Choy
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Wong Yan Choy is a retired Bishop
of the United Methodist Church
, elected in 1972. He is the first Asian American
elected a U.M.
Bishop.
, the son of Lie Yen and Ida Lee Choy. He married Grace Ying Hom 26 September 1940 (she died 26 December 1977). They have four children: Randolph W., Jonathan W., Phyllis W. (Mrs. LeRoy Seibert), and Donnell W.
degree from the College of the Pacific (1946); and the Bachelor of Divinity
degree from the Pacific School of Religion
(1949). Bishop Choy also holds honorary doctorates from the Pacific School of Religion (D.D., 1969) and the University of Puget Sound
.
in 1946. Following seminary Wilbur was ordained Elder by Bishop Donald Tippett, joining the California
-Oriental Provisional Conference, continuing to serve the church in Stockton.
In 1954 Rev. Choy was appointed to serve St. Mark's Methodist Church, Stockton, in the California-Nevada
Annual Conference
. He later held pastorates in Woodland
and Sacramento, California
, as well. In 1967 he served as Chaplain
of the California Senate. In 1969 Rev. Choy was appointed Superintendent of the Bay View District.
Bishop Choy was an active member of the Board of Trustees of the Pacific School of Religion from 1970 until 1984. As such, he worked to strengthen the School's focus on Pacific Basin cross-cultural
dialogue, diversity and excellence in ministry. Bishop Wilbur W.Y. Choy was named a Distinguished Alumni/ae of the Pacific School of Religion in 1997.
Bishop Choy retired in 1984.
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 1972. He is the first Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
elected 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...
Bishop.
Birth and Family
Wilbur was born 28 May 1918 in Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, the son of Lie Yen and Ida Lee Choy. He married Grace Ying Hom 26 September 1940 (she died 26 December 1977). They have four children: Randolph W., Jonathan W., Phyllis W. (Mrs. LeRoy Seibert), and Donnell W.
Education
Wilbur earned the A.A. degree from Stockton Junior College (1944); the 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 from the College of the Pacific (1946); and the Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from 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....
(1949). Bishop Choy also holds honorary doctorates from the Pacific School of Religion (D.D., 1969) and the University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
.
Ordained ministry
While a college and seminary student, Wilbur served as Associate Pastor of the Chinese Methodist Church in Stockton. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop James Chamberlain BakerJames Chamberlain Baker
James Chamberlain Baker was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Church, and the United Methodist Church, elected in 1928....
in 1946. Following seminary Wilbur was ordained Elder by Bishop Donald Tippett, joining the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-Oriental Provisional Conference, continuing to serve the church in Stockton.
In 1954 Rev. Choy was appointed to serve St. Mark's Methodist Church, Stockton, in the California-Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
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...
. He later held pastorates in Woodland
Woodland, California
Woodland is the county seat of Yolo County, California, located approximately northwest of Sacramento, and is a part of the Sacramento - Arden-Arcade - Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 55,468 at the 2010 census.Woodland's origins trace back to 1850 when California...
and Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, as well. In 1967 he served as Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of the California Senate. In 1969 Rev. Choy was appointed Superintendent of the Bay View District.
Episcopal ministry
Rev. Choy was elected to the Episcopacy by the 1972 Western Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church. He was assigned to the Seattle Episcopal Area, serving eight years. He was then assigned the San Francisco Episcopal Area, where he served for four years. He was President of the Council of Bishops of the U.M. Church, 1983-84. Bishop Choy also was a member of the Executive Committee of the National Conference of Chinese Churches.Bishop Choy was an active member of the Board of Trustees of the Pacific School of Religion from 1970 until 1984. As such, he worked to strengthen the School's focus on Pacific Basin cross-cultural
Cross-cultural
cross-cultural may refer to*cross-cultural studies, a comparative tendency in various fields of cultural analysis*cross-cultural communication, a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate...
dialogue, diversity and excellence in ministry. Bishop Wilbur W.Y. Choy was named a Distinguished Alumni/ae of the Pacific School of Religion in 1997.
Bishop Choy retired in 1984.
Personal Appreciation
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Pacific School of Religion, Mr. Robert Riddel, wrote in 1984 on behalf of the Board:- "Bishop Choy's commitment to equalitySocial equalitySocial equality is a social state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in a certain respect. At the very least, social equality includes equal rights under the law, such as security, voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and the...
, liberation and a world free from racismRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and war are evident to all. As bishop, superintendent and local church pastor, Choy has brought to his ministry pastoral sensitivity, prayerful depth, the strengthening of diverse ministries, administrative care, and a saving sense of humor."