Grant J. Hagiya

Grant J. Hagiya is a bishop in the United Methodist Church, having been elected to that position in 2008.

Family Bishop Hagiya was born 3 January 1952 in Chicago, Illinois and is a third-generation Japanese American (Sansei). He is married to Janet, a high school librarian, and has 3 children, Alexis (Education Coordinator at the University of Southern California), Jamie (A professional basketball player), and Trent (Finishing his undergraduate degree).

He served the Claremont School of Theology as assistant professor of Urban Ministries and Religion and Society, and field education director, and continued to serve as an adjunct professor throughout his career in the Cal-Pac Annual Conference. He served as the district superintendent of the Los Angeles District and dean of the Cabinet prior to being elected to the episcopacy. He was slated to create the Center of Leadership Excellence between the California-Pacific Annual Conference and the Claremont School of Theology right before his election as a bishop.

He was a delegate from the California-Pacific Annual Conference to General Conference (United Methodist Church) and Jurisdictional Conference three times, and served as head of the delegation one time.

He has served as chairperson of the Board of Ordained Ministry and numerous other church and community organizations.

He has served as a board member of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the General Commission on Religion and Race, and the General Board of Global Ministries.

Episcopal ministry In 2016, Grant J. Hagiya became Resident Bishop of the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church, after having served as the Resident Bishop of the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church, presiding over its Alaska, Pacific Northwest, and Oregon-Idaho Annual Conferences. Previously (2008–12) he served the Seattle Area, which included the Pacific Northwest and Alaska Conferences. That area was merged with the Portland area (Oregon-Idaho Conference) in 2012.

Hagiya also serves as the chairperson of one of the 4 Focus Areas of the denomination: "Developing Principled Christian Leaders."

In 2013, Hagiya's first book on church leadership titled Spiritual Kaizen: How to Become a Better Church Leader was published by Abingdon Press.