Biography of The Rt. Rev. Scott Hayashi, Eleventh Bishop of Utah

The Right. Reverend Scott B. Hayashi was consecrated as the Eleventh Bishop of Utah on November 6, 2010 following his election in May, 2010.

Bishop Hayashi served as Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Chicago, for five years, prior to his Utah election. In his Chicago position, he acted as the Bishop’s confidante, Chief of Staff to 20 employees, deployment officer, consultant on congregational development, as leader of Diocesan Council, and as general troubleshooter for the diocese. Prior to holding that position, Scott was a parish priest from 1984-2005, serving in parishes in Washington, Ogden, Utah, and California.

Bishop Hayashi was the youngest of 3 children from an un-churched family from Tacoma, Washington and he is the only active Christian from this nuclear family. His desire to know and to understand spirituality in general led him to a longing to know Christ when he was 15-years old. He has been engaged in critical Bible study since his conversion.

Hayashi attended Harvard Divinity School where he met his wife, Amy, who was then a student at Episcopal Divinity School. They have been married for 29 years and have three daughters ages 27, 23, and 15. His undergraduate work was at the University of Washington where he received a Bachelor of Social Work degree. He also obtained a Certificate of Theology from CDSP in 1984.

The Bishop was ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Spokane in 1984. In addition to his work in the Diocese of Chicago, he has acted as a Conference Leader for CREDO since 1999 and has worked with nearly 600 clergy of The Episcopal Church in the area of wellness and development. He has served in rural, urban and suburban parishes, thus drawing on a variety of experience in a broad spectrum of the Episcopal Church.