Saturday, I’ll be giving an instrumental guitar concert at Yellow Wood Coffee & Tea in Alamo, Ca (check under Events for details), 4:00pm-6:00pm. On Sunday, 2:00pm-4:00pm, we’ll hold another Christian Guitarist Fellowship at Creekside Community Church (also on the Events page).
This weekend, I’ll be leading worship for the second Father/Son “Mountain Men” Retreat at Sugarpine Christian Conference Center. There will be over 200 men and their sons. Pray that it will have a strong spiritual impact on the lives of all who attend.
The Coates family is enjoying life in the Danville area. Sherri is busy nurturing Brandon and Austin as they are growing like crazy (both are taller than me now). She is also involved at Creekside Community Church with girls in the Middle School Ministry, with greeting on Sunday mornings in the Frontline Ministry, and helping care for the babies in the Nursery Ministry. She truly makes our house a home with her laughter and love. Brandon is now 17 and will be driving soon. He is enjoying drawing and the High School youth group at church. Austin is 14 and is continuing in Tae Kwon Do and Gumdo. Both of them like Venture School (although they think they have too much homework). This week has been fun for me to be on vacation and spend time with family. Last weekend was so nice to be at Sugarpine Christian Conference Center’s Father and Son Retreat. I took Brandon and Austin and felt like it was one of the best times ever with a time of playing paintball, the cabin hang-time, prayer for each other and honest appreciation of each other. Sherri’s birthday was this week and we’ve had some good moments of celebration. All in all, we’re doing well. May God bless you as you keep him first in all you do! If you get a chance, visit me on Facebook, Twitter or MySpace.
This last weekend went very well as I led the men and boys in singing and worship. It was a “Mountain Men” fishing retreat with lots of fun activities and the singing and teaching time were spiritually inspiring. Scott Simmerok, from San Jose First Baptist, did a fine job speaking. I took my son’s with me and had one of the best times together. Some families had been coming to the camp for 10 to 15 years. It was great to see familiar faces as I’ve led worship there about 6 years.
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My first guitar lessons online really worked! I wasn’t sure how they were going to work out, but the two week beginner’s course on Strumming and Finger Picking was a success. A student from Portugal enjoyed the class and wrote, “I had a really nice time at the course. It brought my practice routines again. The course is very well structured, I think it’s pretty cool! It´s been a pleasure to study, as well as interact with you!” This course was the first in MusicDojo.com’s new series called Essential Worship Guitar.
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Ministry with Creekside Community Church has been busy but fulfilling. Easter, as well as the week before, was a good way to zero in on what Christianity is all about: Jesus as King, the cross, and the resurrection. Our four services (Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and two on Easter) reflected the celebrative and somber moods of each event and highlighted the life of Christ in us (Galations 2:20). I’m enjoying working with the people and organizing each worship service. We are currently going through 40 Days of Love and the musicians are studying the book The Missing Element of Worship: What’s Love Got to Do with It? by Tom Kraeuter.
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We had a conference call a couple of weeks ago to catch up with the personal happenings of the Board members and keep the momentum going for Heartfelt Music Ministry. I love those guys and appreciate their prayers and thoughtful insights as they oversee this ministry. The economic crisis we’re in right now is affecting everyone. Fortunately, faith and the “heart” of things really come out during hard times.
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I approach each lesson as I do most things with the attitude of, “What would I want if it were for me?” (Do unto others…). So, each student gets the best treatment in lessons, better than anything out there. Of course, learning is largely based on the student themselves. But, the lessons are top notch with tailored coaching toward personal goals, multi-media interaction during the lesson, quality resources and materials, multiple emphasis (guitar, songwriting, voice), a Lesson Summary Video, and communication throughout the month. I’m stepping it up because that is what I would want. My students appreciate it!
The April CGF Group
The April Christian Guitarist Fellowship was a blast! We had people from all over (those from out of the area were from San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Red Bluff, and Castro Valley). We went over Alternate Tunings, Jazz Chords, the 12-Barre Blues, the Am Pentatonic Scale, and Great Songs in the Key of G. Austin Graham shared a beautiful instrumental song he wrote and we had a good half hour of one-on-one jamming throughout the auditorium. It was a very encouraging day. Hope you can make it next time!
This Monday, MusicDojo.com is hosting my “Strumming and Finger Picking” online lessons for beginning guitarists. MusicDojo.com has quality lessons by outstanding musicians like Adam Nitti, who plays bass guitar for Steven Curtis Chapman. They are starting a new series for guitarists who play in churches called Essential Guitar Worship Series. My coarse is the first in this series offering five strumming patterns and five finger picking patterns to enhance both faster and slower songs. I also explain syncopation, groove, creating mood and more as each lesson opens up over the two week period. There are video examples and clear explanation of each technique being taught. It’s a cool way to learn online and I’ll be available daily through email and a live chat. Check it out (Click Here https://www.musicdojo.com/ ) and tell the beginning guitarists at your church. More details below:
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Essential Guitar Worship Series: Strumming and Finger Picking, Level 1 (GW102)
The first guitar course in the Essential Guitar Worship Series is designed to introduce students to the most common right-hand strumming and picking techniques used within contemporary worship music. This course will help you to gain facility with the flat pick and will introduce you to finger picking techniques. It’s only $29.95 for 10 lessons.
Lesson 1: Holding the Flatpick; The Best Way to Strum; 2/4 and 4/4 Time; Strum #1
Lesson 2: Finger Placement for Picking; Guitar Tablature; 2/4 and 4/4 Time; Pick #1
Lesson 3: Strum #2; Understanding Syncopation
Lesson 4: Pick #2; Finger Picking with Popular Songs
Lesson 5: Strum #3; Creating Groove
Lesson 6: Pick #3; Creating a Mood
Lesson 7: Strum #4; More Songs
Lesson 8: Pick #4; More Songs
Lesson 9: 3/4 and 6/8 Time; Strum #5; More Songs
Lesson 10: 3/4 and 6/8 Time; Pick #5; More Songs
Fatal accident
I am stunned to hear of the sudden death of Mike Swalley. Last Monday, he was hit head-on by another car (the article is at http://pattersonirrigator.com/content/view/3073/42/ . I lived with Mike for a few years during our college years in San Jose where we became friends. We worked in Young Life together helping to change teens lives which is where I experienced his compassion and love for people. We played guitar together and he helped me start a guitar group called JAM in the early ’80s. Just recently, I began a new guitar group in Alamo called the Christian Guitarist Fellowship and Mike came to the first one, February 1, 2009, with his children Laura and Brian who both brought guitars to learn. I gave them their first guitar lesson while Mike beamed as a proud father. Mike had a heart of Gold…had a deep love for God, his family, and people. I am in tears thinking about this tragedy, though I know He is experiencing unbelievable joy and peace in God’s presence right now. My heart goes out to Michelle, Laura (14) and Brian (6). My dad died when I was 6 years old and my mom died when I was 14. Though it was very difficult, God used it to draw me closer to Him, shape my character, and value people like never before. I pray this will happen for the Swalley family as well. Please pray for them!
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Coming Events
March 1 (Sun) The Christian Guitarist Fellowship in Alamo
March 6 (Fri) The BASS Convention in Castro Valley
March 13 (Fri) Private Lessons in Danville
March 20 (Fri) Private Lessons in Los Altos
April 5 (Sun) The Christian Guitarist Fellowship in Alamo
April 17-19 (Fri-Sun) Sugarpine Father/Son Mountain Men I Retreat in Oakhurst
April 24-26 (Fri-Sun) Sugarpine Father/Son Mountain Men II Retreat in Oakhurst
The first Christian Guitarist Fellowship was a blast and went very well. Ten people came which was just fine for the first time considering it was the Superbowl weekend. I started out with a Phil Keaggy video as people were coming in. We started at 2:00pm with an introduction and discussion as to people’s expectations and desires. I gave a lesson on contemporary chords, did a little demonstration, and then we paired off in order to “jam” together. I took two young beginners, an advanced guitarist friend took another adult beginner and the rest paired off with varying skill levels. We came back together and played through some well known praise songs. Everyone enjoyed it and said they want to come back in March. We are going to hold it the first Sunday of every month. I’m excited about it!
I’ve been teaching private lessons in guitar, voice, songwriting and worship leading in Los Altos for over 2 years and find it both fulfilling and a powerful avenue for students to become what God is leading them towards.
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I’ve upgraded the lessons/coaching to include:
I’ll be teaching once a month in four locations: Los Altos, Danville (my home), Mount Hermon, and Sacramento. Let me know if you’re interested or you know someone who is.
