The Diocese of Western Louisiana gathered Feb. 26-28 at Grace Church, Monroe, for its convention under the leadership of its bishop, the Rt. Rev. Robert J. Hargrove. Its theme was "From Generation to Generation: Our Place in God's Family."

Grace Church is recovering from a major fire during the past year which destroyed some of its buildings. It is celebrating its 150th anniversary during 1998.

The Rt. Rev. Charles E. Jenkins III, Bishop Coadjutor of Louisiana, was a guest speaker at the convention banquet and challenged those present to "know what we believe - not only what we live for but what we would die for.

"This church depends upon grace," he said. "We must begin with ourselves and take responsibility for our lives. We are called to a life of unconditional grace."

The Bishop of the Dominican Republic, the Rt. Rev. Julio Caesar Holguin Khoury, preached on Christian identity at the convention Eucharist. The companion diocese relationship between the Dominican Republic and Western Louisiana was reinstated by the convention.

Delegates heard reports on the Alpha program, and the rebuilding and renovation of the diocesan camp.

In his convention address, Bishop Hargrove presented 10 goals that would make a difference for the diocese. Among them were giving up controversy for the sake of proclaiming Christ, to have a focused effort on youth, the need for Episcopal schools, and to renew efforts with college students.

"We are new people, with new goals for life," Bishop Hargrove said. "That newness must be an integral part of everything we do in the church. We cannot take temporary measures like trying to patch an old coat with a piece of new cloth or being careless and putting new wine into old wineskins. Everything will be lost."