Los Angeles Bishop-elect Glasspool receives church's consent to ordination

By Pat McCaughan, March 17, 2010 [Episcopal News Service] Diocese of Los Angeles Bishop-elect Mary Douglas Glasspool has received the required number of consents from diocesan standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction to her ordination and consecration as a bishop, the presiding bishop's office confirmed in a March 17 announcement.

Glasspool was elected on Dec. 5, 2009, the second of two bishops suffragan elected at the 114th annual convention in the Diocese of Los Angeles. In an unofficial tally, the diocese had announced on March 10 that Glasspool had received 61 consents, five more than the 56 required, from the church's diocesan standing committees.

Her consecration, along with that of the Rev. Canon Diane Jardine Bruce, who was elected a day earlier, are planned for May 15. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will be the chief consecrator.

The daughter of a priest, Glasspool was one of two openly gay candidates on the Los Angeles slate but maintained that her sexual orientation was "not an issue" in the election. She is the second openly gay partnered priest to be elected a bishop in the Episcopal Church. The first was Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who was elected in 2003.

Bishop Jon Bruno of Los Angeles issued a statement giving thanks for the standing committees and bishops who consented to the two elections, saying they "have joined the Diocese of Los Angeles in recognizing and affirming the many gifts and skills of these highly qualified and experienced clerics."

An announcement of completion of a successful consent process for Bruce was made March 8.

"These historic elections bring the first women to the episcopate in the Diocese of Los Angeles. I give thanks for this, and that the standing committees and bishops have demonstrated through their consents that the Episcopal Church, by canon, creates no barrier for ministry on the basis of gender and sexual orientation, among other factors," Bruno said.

Glasspool also issued a statement, saying she was overjoyed at the news.

"I am profoundly grateful for the many people -- in Los Angeles, in Maryland, and around the world -- who have given their prayers, love, and support during this time of discernment. I am also aware that not everyone rejoices in this election and consent, and will work, pray, and continue to extend my own hands and heart to bridge those gaps, and strengthen the bonds of affection among all people, in the Name of Jesus Christ," she said.

Glasspool, 56, most recently served as canon to the bishops in the Baltimore-based Diocese of Maryland for the past eight years. During her 28-year ordained ministry, she has served congregations in Maryland, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
 
While she was rector of St. Luke's and St. Margaret's Church in Boston (1992 to 2001), the small urban church's budget more than doubled from $44,000, and parish membership tripled from 50 to about 150. She also has served as program developer for the Massachusetts Bible Society.

A 2006 Harvard Divinity School Merrill Fellow, Glasspool said that in her current role she provides pastoral care to clergy and their families and makes officials visits on behalf of Maryland's bishops.

She is a 1976 magna cum laude graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and earned a master of divinity degree in 1981 from the Episcopal Divinity School, where she has returned to lecture in pastoral theology. She is also a certified field education supervisor, a Cursillo Spiritual Director and has designed and facilitated spiritual retreats for more than 20 years.

Ordained to the diaconate in 1981 and the priesthood in 1982, Glasspool has been active at local, provincial and national church levels. She has served as a three-time General Convention deputy, a Province III representative and as president of the diocesan standing committee.

Glasspool was born on Staten Island and grew up in Goshen, New York, where her father served as rector of St. James' Church for 35 years. Her life partner of 19 years is Becki Sander, who holds degrees in theology and social work.

Bruce, 53, most recently served as rector for nine years at St. Clements by-the-Sea Church in San Clemente, California, in the Los Angeles diocese. She had served three years as associate rector of Church of the Messiah before being called to St. Clements in 2000.

She earned a master of divinity degree at the Episcopal Theological School in Claremont (ETSC), California, also known as Bloy House, in 1997 and a bachelor's degree in linguistics in 1979 from the University of California at Berkeley, California.

She is currently a doctoral student at the Seabury Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, with an emphasis on alternative liturgies and their effect on church growth.

For 18 years prior to ordination she was employed by Wells Fargo Bank in various capacities, including as a vice president for compensation management and analysis and assistant vice president in commercial banking credit services and operations.

Under the canons of the Episcopal Church (III.11.4), a majority of bishops exercising jurisdiction and diocesan standing committees must consent to a bishop-elect's ordination as bishop within 120 days of receiving notice of the election.

As outlined under Canon III.11.4 (a) for every bishop election, the presiding bishop confirms the receipt of consents from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction, and reviews the evidence of consents from diocesan standing committees sent to her by the standing committee of the electing diocese.

The consent process begins after post-election procedural matters, including physical and psychological examinations, have been completed and formal notices are sent by the presiding bishop's office to bishops with jurisdiction, with separate notices from the electing diocese to the standing committees of each of the dioceses in the Episcopal Church.

-- The Rev. Pat McCaughan is a national correspondent for Episcopal News Service. She is based in Los Angeles.