It’s difficult to say now exactly when we started singing together.  If we’d known then that we would continue to sing and eventually make a CD maybe we would have paid attention to the date, but it was not planned, it just happened.

The first time we sang together was just a spur of the moment decision.  Jan and Michael had been asked to sing the ‘special’ at the Aldergrove SDA Church.  Donna was asked to accompany them on the piano.  The song was ‘A Perfect Heart’ and the arrangement called for an a cappella chorus on the ending.  Since Donna didn’t have anything to do there on the ending she sang along.  We thought we would keep it that way and as the practice went on we decided to keep the trio going on all the choruses and have solos on the verses.  It went pretty well, and thereafter we were asked to sing occasionally at churches, wedding receptions, camp meetings and other events.  The beginning of this was sometime around 1992-1993.

Our group was not always Jan, Michael and Donna.  At times Michael’s brother Stephen was asked to sing and then it would be Jan, Michael, Stephen or Jan, Stephen, Donna – but never all four at once.  Also, we have added a bass singer on occasion – Bill Gerber.  But basically, the group was Jan, Michael and Donna for most of the time. 

In November of 1999 we arranged to do a concert in the Aldergrove church for the church service.  This gave us real incentive to choose a name for ourselves.  We had been trying to come up with a name for several years, even advertising in the church newsletter for suggestions.  We had been very particular.  But when we finally came down to the wire in getting ready for this November concert, we decided we’d just go with whatever name was next brought up if it wasn’t too awful!  And that is when Michael came up with the name ‘In Focus’.  It is our aim to ‘Keep Jesus as our focus when we practice and perform and to help put Jesus in focus for our listeners’.  This is what we pray for every time we get together.

We have done a number of concerts for church services – replacing the sermon with singing and some talking and visual presentation.  We have also provided vespers programs and full evening concerts as well as opening for other performers and being part of other musical programs.

For several years now when we go places to sing people ask ‘do you have a CD?’ Up till now we’d just answer ‘no, not yet’ but as of December 2001 we are able to answer ‘YES’ and we are hoping that as people purchase these CDs, Jesus will be in focus as they listen to the music.

Jan Heitsman is a homemaker, married to David, and has a teenaged son Aaron.

Michael Dunbar is a medical representative and is married to Anneliese.

Donna Wells is a junior accountant, married to Dan, and has two adult sons, David & Donavan

  -  IN FOCUS 2001 -