For the first time the Diocese of Los Angeles have two women as their bishops suffragan. No women priests were ordained in L.A. until the late 1980s. Saturday, May 15, Diane Jardine Bruce and Mary Douglas Glasspool were ordained and consecrated to the office of bishop. A congregation of 3000+ gathered from all parts of the Church to celebrate in person and online.

The service began with a traditional blessing with cedar and sage and prayers from the several indigenous tribes of the LA basin, followed by dances and songs from the many cultures who now call the area home. Choirs of children and adults sang their joy. Bishops, deacons and priests processed to a rap and then to a bagpipe band. A colorful array of bishops and others participating in the service entered led by lion dancers. The Taiko Project Drummers set a fast pace to the moments before the entry of the bishops elect, the Los Angeles bishops and the Presiding Bishop who processed to the hymn on Lord, you give the Great Commission.

UPDATE:
Following the testimonials and signing of documents there were no further protests and the service continued with prayer, song, and scripture.

Video of the service can be found at the Diocesan Web site.

Stories on the consecration

Los Angeles Times

On the eve of the ceremony, Mary Glasspool and Diane Jardine Bruce expressed excitement, anticipation and a hope that their elevation to high office will set an example for the wider church.

“Whatever’s going to happen tomorrow is way bigger than just me, or than Diane and me,” said Glasspool, who is gay.(sic) “This is a benchmark for the whole church. This is a benchmark where the whole church can say, you know, we are being who we say we are.”

Baltimore Sun

BBC

UPDATE:
Tom Jackson live tweeted the event here

From Integrity:
May 15, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Integrity celebrates with the Diocese of Los Angeles and the whole church today at the ordinations of Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce and Bishop Mary Douglas Glasspool. This history making day is another important step forward toward the full inclusion of all the baptized in the work and witness of the Episcopal Church, and Integrity is honored to have been part of it.

"As we celebrate these ordinations today, we also celebrate the hard work and persistent activism of Integrity over the last 35 years," said President David Norgard. "Here in Long Beach today we are not only reaping the fruit of the work of those who have gone before us--we are planting the seeds for fuller inclusion throughout the whole church."

Also present at the festive ordination service were past-presidents of Integrity, including Bruce Garner (Atlanta), Kim Byham (Newark), and Susan Russell (Los Angeles). "As a daughter of this diocese could not be more proud that Los Angeles has responded to the call to be a headlight instead of taillight on full inclusion," said Russell. "Today the first woman Presiding Bishop in the history of the Anglican Communion ordained the first two women bishops in the history of the Diocese of Los Angeles...and the fact that one of them is a lesbian is not an 'issue' but an opportunity for us to better incarnate the wholeness of God's abundant and inclusive love."

Today is a day for celebration. And tomorrow Integrity will get back to work toward the day when the gender, orientation, identity or race of a bishop for the Church of God is no longer an "issue." For anybody. And for the time when all the sacraments will be fully available to all the baptized. For everybody.

For further information contact:
Louise Brooks, Communication Director
Integrity USA
626-993-4605
lebrooks@earthlink.net