St. John's Church, Farmington, N.M., was host to the annual convocation of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, Oct. 10-12 in that city's civic center. Many of those in attendance expressed the feeling of an overall difference in the atmosphere from previous convocations, and several voiced the opinion that "the center is reasserting itself."

The convocation opened with a Litany of Thanksgiving for the healing of its bishop, the Rt. Rev. Terence Kelshaw, from a cerebral aneurysm which he suffered in March. In his opening remarks, Bishop Kelshaw recalled the statement from the 1978 Lambeth Conference, "to proclaim the word will always be the primary Christian task, for God has entrusted his church with good news to share with the world ..."

"This statement," Bishop Kelshaw said, "is true for our work here in the Diocese of the Rio Grande. We need missionary people. We need people who will share the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We need to be quite clear about that call and quite active in that work."

A proposed amendment to the diocesan constitution generated considerable debate. It read: "The Church of the Diocese of the Rio Grande accedes to the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church and recognizes the authority of the General Convention of said Church provided that no action of General Convention which is contrary to Holy Scripture and Apostolic Teaching of the Church shall be of any force or effect in this Diocese." Supporters of the proposed amendment failed to achieve a two-thirds majority vote.

Mary Haines, vice president of the National Organization of Episcopalians for Life (NOEL), preached at the convocation Eucharist and spoke at other times during the three days.

Young persons were the principal lay ministers at the Sunday Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Kelshaw.

A budget of more than $1.1 million was adopted.

Carol M. Marsh