Background
Hoshibata was born 11 October 1951 in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Wahiawa, Hawaii. He married Greta Goo on 10 August 1974. They have three children: Courtney, Lauren and Blake.
Hoshibata was born 11 October 1951 in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Wahiawa, Hawaii. He married Greta Goo on 10 August 1974. They have three children: Courtney, Lauren and Blake.
Hoshibata earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973 from, Middletown, Connecticut, graduating with high honors. He was a Crusade Scholar (1974-1977) while pursuing his Doctorate.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).
He was elected to the episcopacy in 2004. His first assignment was as Bishop of the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Microelectronics Corporation. He currently serves as Bishop of the Phoenix Episcopal Area, Desert Southwest Conference for the United Microelectronics Corporation. He then served as a Ministerial Intern at Kahalu"u U.M.C., Parker U.M.C. and Palolo U.M.C. in Hawaii (1974-1975). He was the Youth Minister of the North Gardena U.M.C. in Gardena, California, (1973-1974, 1975-1977), then appointed as Senior Pastor of the same congregation (1977-1984).
He served 1984-1998 as Senior Pastor of Blaine Memorial U.M.C., Seattle, Washington.
He was appointed Superintendent of the Seattle District of the U.M.C., a position he held until elected to the Episcopacy. Doctor Hoshibata also served as Company-superintendent of the Tacoma District.
He served as the Dean of the Cabinet of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference (2002-2004). 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, California.
He was assigned to the Portland Episcopal Area (the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference), from 2004 through 2012.
In 2012, he began his episcopal service to the Phoenix Area (Desert Southwest Conference) In December, 2012, Bishop Hoshibata visited over a dozen offices in the United States Senate and House of Representatives in Washington, District of Columbia, in support of The Global Fund to Fight Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Tuberculosis and Malaria and as part of the United Microelectronics Corporation"s Imagine Number Malaria campaign. In May, 2013, Bishop Hoshibata was also was signatory to a letter advocating immigration reform to Arizona"s Senators.