2011 Miracle Yearbook

HEARTSONG Several changes occurred in the Christian Ministries Division touring ministry this year, ranging from organization adjustments to an additional ministry focus. Jim Cato, Executive Director of HeartSong Ministries, said the touring teams under went the biggest change in the 25 years he has been involved in the ministry. The Touring Teams department of The Master's Puppets, Lifeline Players, and East to West no longer existed because HeartSong Ministries replaced it. The department consisted of five HeartSong teams. With the reorganization, there was a new focus on ministering to middle school age children, so two of these teams, Heartsong: Generation teams,focused on that age group. A third new change had to do with summer ministry locations. One HeartSong team was at Lake Ann Camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan all summer. They had never had a team there all summer, Cato said. Chloe Heckman,a vocalist on HeartSong,said going to Lake Ann Camp during the school year was a highlight for her. She talked about driving in the "crazy snow" for ten hours to get there. The camp was like Narnia, Heckman said. "We were out in the middle of God's creation." While there, she said she had the most engaging worship experience she had been a part of. Heckman's goal for the year was to make herself invisible, making it all about God."I think it's really easy, especially for me, to be too caught up in that," she said of being up front leading. Her goal came from John 3:30: "He must increase, but I must decrease." Cato had a goal for the year, too. He said they established that they needed to better teach the reality that the Gospel is to be lived out. "The Gospel is not something that we just accept at one time," Cato said. "He must increase, but I must descrease." (Chloe Heckmen, referring to her goal for the year according to John 3:30) leads the Heartsong Blue Team as they minister to high school students during the Freeze Out at Lake Ann Camp. their all-together chapel. during one of their travelling ministries. voices in worship. accompanies the Heartsong team during sings with his team and a group of high-schoolers helps the Freeze Out students to lift their