Listeners cheered when the Rev. Charles Price reminded them at the beginning of his sermon that "the Jazz won last night." They almost raised the roof when the retired Virginia Seminary professor followed with, "Tonight, Carolyn Tanner Irish becomes a bishop in the Church of God" - and they kept cheering for minutes.

Win or lose, Utah's professional basketball team is always big, but it was clearly overshadowed in the minds of the crowd at Abravanel Hall May 31 by the consecration of the native Utahn as Bishop Coadjutor of Utah.

From the beginning of the procession, led by singers and dancers in full tribal regalia from the diocese's two Native American congregations, to the deacon's dismissal at the close, the service reflected the sacred joy so characteristic of the traditions and pageantry of many Episcopal Church rites.

Each of the diocese's 21 congregations and several diocesan ministries provided colorful banners for the procession, and two choirs, one featuring some 75 children and the other composed of adult choirs from around the diocese, provided the music.

The Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop, was chief consecrator. Co-consecrators were the Rt. Rev. George E. Bates, Bishop of Utah; the Rt. Rev. E. Otis Charles, Bishop of Utah, retired; the Rt. Rev. Jane Holmes Dixon, Suffragan Bishop of Washington; the Rt. Rev. David Jones, Suffragan Bishop of Virginia; the Rt. Rev. Stewart Wood, Jr., Bishop of Michigan, and the Rt. Rev. William B. Spofford, Bishop of Eastern Oregon, retired.

During the weeks prior to the consecration, there were rumors that a formal protest regarding Bishop Irish's baptism in the Mormon Church, based on the belief of some that Mormons are not Christians, might take place. It did not, and at a morning news conference, Bishop Browning said, "There is clear historic precedent in our church recognizing Mormon baptism."