Building Relationships

Last month, I highlighted Living a Balanced life with the idea of making choices to enjoy all you do and not get burned out. This month, I’d like to touch on how to build and maintain relationships that are positive and mutually beneficial. God wants us to love everyone as He loves them. But, Jesus demonstrated that it’s only natural to be closer to some people (such as the 12 disciples) and recognize some people are toxic and should be handled carefully (such a some Pharisees). In general, it’s best to be inclusive and “love your neighbor as yourself.” Maneuvering through the world of relationships can be complicated and frustrating as well as rewarding and encouraging. Stephen Covey, in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (and his book on the added 8th Habit) gives 4 interpersonal habits for us to keep in mind to help us nurture our relationships with others. These have been very inspiring for me. Building relationships is not something we arrive at. It’s ongoing and must be intentional. We make plenty of mistakes along the way. May the following principles help you on your journey.

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1)  Think Win-Win [Habit 4]
Genuinely strive for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Value and respect people by understanding a “win” for all.

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2)  Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood [Habit 5]
Use empathic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you.

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3)  Synergize [Habit 6]
Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could do alone.

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4)  Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs [Habit 8]
Out of your uniqueness and strengths, find your influence.  Then help others find theirs. Watch out for the 5 cancerous behaviors:  criticism, complaining, comparing, competing, & contending.

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Thank you so much for being a part of the Heartfelt Music Ministry community. It’s because of your prayers and support that we are able to continue to lead others toward intimacy with God and toward excellence in artistry.

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Since it’s still summer, you may want to watch my Summer Home Concert on my YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/dpx16y_XN6o. I played all the songs on my latest album, Encore, and wrapped it up with My Prayer for You. I hope it encourages you!

Valley Christian School Begins

I’m continuing to teach music, guitar, worship and video at Valley Christian Schools with both junior high and high school. Last week, I played bass guitar for our first worshipful Convocation.

Summer Concert Series Recap

The Mount Hermon Summer Concert Series was such a blessing. Each concert brought in more people than ever! The last concert with Phillips, Craig & Dean had almost 700 attending.

Encore Summer Concert

Watch last month’s Summer Home Concert on my YouTube channel, with songs from the new album, Encore, (and My Prayer for You). You can hear clips of each song on the album Encore at HearNow.com.

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Joy and Hope through Music

I pray your summer is off to good start! This Saturday begins the Mount Hermon Summer Concert Series, June 24, at 6:30pm, with Buddy Greene and two of his talented friends Jeff Taylor and Dave Dillard. All the concerts are free, but you must register through iTickets. Here’s the line-up:

• 6/24 – Buddy Greene, Jeff Taylor and Dave Dillard
• 7/1 – Southern Raised
• 7/8 – Veritas
• 7/15 – Nicole Nordeman
• 7/22 – The King’s Brass
• 7/29 – Michael O’Brien
• 8/5 – Phillips, Craig & Dean
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This Sunday, June 25, I will be performing live online with a Summer Home Concert at 5:00pm, through Facebook Live. I’ll be doing songs from my new album, Encore, and special requests. Let me know what songs you’d like to hear beforehand so I can be ready (email me at [email protected]. Visit the HearNow.com website to hear the songs on Encore. All my products are available at the Heartfelt Music Ministry website. Hope you can join me on Sunday.
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Summer Begins

Fortunately, I’ve had a break for a couple of weeks between Valley Christian School and the Summer Concert Series with Mount Hermon. Lessons and worship leading are continuing throughout the summer.

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MH Concert Series

Buddy’s beautiful songwriting, singing, guitar playing, and harmonica playing will be enhanced by his multi-talented friends Jeff Taylor and Dave Dillard. They are an incredibly talented and hilarious trio.

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Encore Concert

Join me for a Summer Home Concert Sunday, June 25, at 5:00pm, with songs from my new album, Encore, and special requests. You can hear clips of each song on the album Encore at HearNow.com.

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Upcoming Events

• June 25 (Sunday)
  I’ll be doing a Home Concert June 25 at 5:00pm through Facebook Live sharing songs from the new album Encore and playing some songs by special request.
• July 2, 16, 30 (Sundays)
  I’ll be leading worship at San Jose Christian Reformed Church. It is located at 5150 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA, 95124, (408) 266-4412. The service is at 10:00am.
• July 23 (Sunday)
  I’ll be leading worship at San Ramon Presbyterian Church. It is located at 12700 Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon, CA 94583, (925) 543-7772. The service is at 9:00am.

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His Love Endures Forever

Psalm 100 is such an inspiration for us to worship the Lord with gladness! It’s only five verses long, but is loaded with expression and motivation to praise his name. Knowing that the Lord is God, who made us, and deeply loves us, his people, we can respond with shouts of joy, joyful songs, thanksgiving and praise. “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations (Ps. 100:5).”

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Come to one or all three of the remaining Mount Hermon Summer Concerts, produced by Heartfelt Music Ministry. Each concert is on Saturday starting at 6:30pm in the Conference Center auditorium. Go to http://mounthermon.org/summer-concerts to get more information. Even though the Phillips, Craig & Dean concert is “Sold Out,” come anyway as we’ve discovered that 20% of the people who have registered for tickets don’t show. We’ll fit you in!

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Michael O’Brien is an American Christian musician and worship leader, who is an amazing vocalist and pianist. He has released eight solo albums since 1990. He was a touring member of the Heritage Singers before becoming a full-fledged member of NewSong in 1999. He is a Dove Award winner and received a Grammy Nomination for his songwriting. For the last few Christmas seasons, he has toured with the Foto Sisters who joined us at the beginning of our summer concert series. Michael places a high priority on family and will share the miraculous journey of his marriage. Come join him for his first time with us at Mount Hermon as a solo artist. Come join us this Saturday, July 16th.

New Songs & New Album

I’ve been writing songs this summer for a new album called Encore. One song, Hold Me, uses three capos and asks God to renew my heart today. Another song, You Pick Me Up, is for my grand-daughter and is an upbeat appreciation of her cuteness.

Summer Concerts at Mount Hermon

The Mount Hermon Summer concert series is each Saturday, July 16, 23, and 30, 6:30pm. You can sit inside or outside. All concert programs are open to the public without charge. Even though the Phillips, Craig and Dean concert is sold out, come anyway!

Listen to Reggie’s Music

There are seven albums of mine you can listen to through HearNow.com. You can hear the songs on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, YouTube, and more. If you’d like to purchase my music on CD or digitally, go to our product page at https://heartfeltmusic.org/products/.

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Be Encouraged

Is your summer off to a good start? Sherri and I just came back from Dayton, Oregon, visiting my 5 month old granddaughter! It was a great way to start the summer for us!

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Come to one or all of the Mount Hermon Summer Concerts, produced by Heartfelt Music Ministry. Each concert is on Saturday starting at 6:30pm in the Conference Center auditorium nestled in the beautiful 500 acres of the Redwood forest. The concerts are free, but you’ll need a ticket through iTickets to register and reserve a spot. Go to http://mounthermon.org/summer-concerts to get more information and register for each concert. Watch this promo video to give you an idea of what each concert artist/group sounds like: https://youtu.be/SEhjEsfTQEc

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Here’s the artist line up for this summer:

• June 18 – Foto Sisters
• June 25 – Buddy Greene and Jeff Taylor
• July 2 – Point of Grace
• July 9 – Veritas
• July 16 – Michael O’Brien
• July 23 – Captivating Keyboards
• July 30 – Phillips, Craig & Dean (Sold Out)

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Hope you can join me Sunday, June 26, 5:00pm, for my eighth online FACEBOOK LIVE Home Concert. It will be an uplifting hour with unrecorded songs and familiar requested songs as well. It will be on the Heartfelt Music® Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/reggieheartfeltmusic.

Visiting Our Granddaughter

It was so fun for Sherri and I to see our 5 month old granddaughter! We drove up to Dayton, Oregon, and spent a week visiting my youngest son and his wife. How sweet it is to hold and cuddle their precious daughter. We love being first-time grandparents!

Summer Concerts at Mount Hermon

The Mount Hermon Summer concert series begins this Saturday, June 18th. You can sit inside or outside. All concert programs are open to the public without charge, but you must get a ticket to reserve a spot at http://mounthermon.org/summer-concerts.

Reggie’s Home Concert 8, June 26

Next Sunday, June 26, 5:00pm, I’ll be streaming a live concert from my home through Facebook Live. The concert will be on the Heartfelt Music® Facebook page. Click Here to join the fun. You can view my Home Concert Refresh by clicking here.

Upcoming Events

• June 18 – July 30 (Sat)
  The Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center’s Summer Concert Series begins Saturday, June 18. It is located at the Conference Center, Mount Hermon, CA 95041.
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• June 26 (Sun)
  Join me for another Home Concert through Facebook Live on Sunday, June 26, 5:00pm. It will be on the Heartfelt Music® Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/reggieheartfeltmusic.

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A Summer Bursting with Music Ministry

Are you ready for summer? I’m excited about all the music endeavors through Heartfelt Music® Ministry available to encourage you spiritually and musically.
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This week wraps up my year with Valley Christian Schools. It was a very productive year as the students learned about songwriting, recording, and being stretched toward excellence in musical technique and a strong character. Going through the book The Worshiping Artist by Rory Noland was particularly poignant in learning about worship leading. We had performances in chapels, leading worship for Los Altos Christian School, leading Christmas carols for the Mount Hermon Community dinner, and even busking in Santa Cruz. We had to make changes and flex with the many COVID-19 surprises, but we made it through with a sense of accomplishment. It was a fulfilling year for me as Heartfelt Music’s Mission Statement was in full swing: Leading others toward intimacy with God and excellence in artistry.
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I’m excited about the Mount Hermon Summer Concert Series, which I produce through Heartfelt Music Ministry. Each concert is on Saturday starting at 6:30pm in the Conference Center auditorium nestled in the beautiful 500 acres of the Redwood forest. The concerts are free, but you’ll need a ticket through iTickets to register and reserve a spot. Here’s the artist line up for this summer:

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• June 18 – Foto Sisters
• June 25 – Buddy Greene and Jeff Taylor
• July 2 – Point of Grace
• July 9 – Veritas
• July 16 – Michael O’Brien
• July 23 – Captivating Keyboards
• July 30 – Phillips, Craig & Dean
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Come to one or come to all. You will be refreshed and encouraged! See the Promo Video Here.

Summer private lessons begin this Tuesday! So, if you want to excel in your music abilities, treat yourself and sign up for some coaching tailored specifically to you.
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I’ll be doing another online FACEBOOK LIVE Home Concert Sunday, June 26, 5:00pm PST. I’ll be sharing a few songs from a coming new album of mine called Encore. It will be an uplifting hour with new songs and familiar requested songs as well. It will be on the Heartfelt Music® Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/reggieheartfeltmusic.

Busking in Santa Cruz with VCHS

Busking is basically street performing in public. I took the Valley Christian High School Guitar 2 & 3 class as well as the Worship Team to Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz to perform on the street in front of those passing by. Stopping at Burger for lunch and a visit to the Boardwalk, we had a blast!

Summer Concerts at Mount Hermon

The Foto Sisters will begin the seven week concert series on Saturday, June 18th. Attendees can be inside with the artists, or relax on the mezzanine patio and take in the surrounding redwood forest while enjoying the beautiful music. All concert programs are open to the public without charge.

Music Training & Private Lessons

Would you like to improve your musical abilities? I will be starting summer private lessons on Tuesday, May 31. There are 10 sessions of training and coaching in guitar, singing, songwriting, music theory, performance practices, or any combination you’d like. Enhance your skills!

Upcoming Events

• May 31 – August 2 (Tue)
  Private Lessons for the summer begins Tuesday, May 31. Contact me if you’d like to get started for weekly or bi-weekly lessons..
• June 18 – July 30 (Sat)
  The Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center’s Summer Concert Series begins Saturday, June 18. It is located at the Conference Center, Mount Hermon, CA 95041.
• June 26 (Sun)
  Join me for another Home Concert through Facebook Live on Sunday, June 26, 5:00pm. It will be on the Heartfelt Music® Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/reggieheartfeltmusic.
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Resurrection Transformation

I hope you are enjoying this Easter season and enjoying a break! I’ll be leading music at Mount Hermon’s Sunrise Service this Sunday and hope you can join the celebration.

Reflecting on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we know the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection took place…it’s a part of history. Jesus was crucified in a horrific way and truly paid for the price for sin on our behalf. And Jesus did raise from the dead, conquering death and reigns in heaven.

But, these events didn’t end there. Unfortunately, there is a crucifixion mind-set that permeates our world today. Some people reveal a mind-set determined to be destructive and hurt others. Fortunately, because Jesus rose from the dead, there is an ongoing resurrection transformation available to anyone giving their life to Christ. This resurrection transformation empowers us to have a supernatural love, joy, and peace that transcends the crucifixion mind-set. As Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

This abundant life in Christ is what has given me the strength to get through my parents passing when I was young, a damaged nerve in high school, spiritual abuse by church leaders, the complexity of adopting an orphan, and experiencing neighborhood bullies. God has taught me not to fear, but trust that he will work all things out for good (Romans 8:28). I hope you are encouraged by this and allow God to give you a lifestyle of resurrection transformation.

March Hartland Men’s Retreat

Hartland Christian Camp’s “Man Camp” was a blast! It was great speaking with the guys over meals and being uplifted as we worshiped the Lord together. I even had four of them help me lead the worship during the last two sessions. I put together a devotional with the guys called “Getting Back to Joy.” You can watch it on YouTube HERE.

VCHS Worship Team in Los Altos

The Valley Christian high school Worship Team led two chapels at the Los Altos Christian Schools’ elementary and junior high/high school. I was proud of how they skillfully led the music and shared encouraging introductions before each song. Our drummer, Ashton, even gave a meaningful message on Forgiveness.

Easter Sunrise at the Cross

Join me for this resurrection celebration at the summit of Mount Hermon. A 24-foot-high cross marks the location for the Easter Sunrise Service, just up the hill from Mount Hermon’s Ponderosa Lodge. The view over Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley is spectacular! I’ll be leading worship, pastor Ed Snedeker is the speaker, and Ron Taylor is the host.

Upcoming Events

April 17 (Sun)
Reggie will be leading worship at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center’s Easter Sunrise Service at the Cross. It is located at Ponderosa Lodge, Mount Hermon, CA 95041.

June 18 – July 30 (Sat)
The Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center’s Summer Concert Series begins Saturday, June 18. It is located at the Conference Center, Mount Hermon, CA 95041.

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Streaming Concert This Sunday

This Sunday, September 12, 5:00pm, I’ll be streaming a live concert through Facebook Live sharing songs from my new Instrumental Guitar, Vol. 2 album as well as other songs. The concert will be on the Heartfelt Music® Facebook page. Click Here to join the fun. You can view my last concert by clicking here. There are 10 songs on the album and the titles are:

1. • Abundant Sunshine
   • Oh Snap!
   • Java Jumpstart
   • Worthy and So Wonderful
   • Ruminate on Grace
   • Untied Shoelaces
   • Peacock Blue
   • Building Trust
   • Bossa Nova Baby
   • Andantino

I’ll be explaining a little about each song this Sunday, but you can watch 4 videos I created to highlight how the album was made.

Instrumental 2 Album Production Videos:

• Part 1 – Song Stories
• Part 2 – Styles & Guitars
• Part 3 – Keys & Capos
• Part 4 – Art & Production

I will also be singing at least one song from each of the albums listed below. You can hear how each song sounds at a special page with HearNow.com and these pages will point you to a number of streaming platforms that carry my albums. Check out:

• Instrumental Guitar – Vol. II – 10 instrumental songs
• Heartfelt Worship – 17 of Reggie’s worship songs with band
• I Wish You a Mary Christmas – 10 Christmas songs, originals and familiar carols
• Here & Now – 10 songs both new and familiar with 2 meaningful cover songs
• Instrumental Guitar – Vol. I – 10 instrumental songs
• Intimacy – 20 original songs on relationships
• Heartfelt Celebration – 20 of Reggie’s popular original songs

Hope to catch you Sunday!

God Is Doing Exciting Things

There are some amazing things that God is doing this summer through Heartfelt Music® Ministry! Encouraging people through music and drawing their hearts closer to Jesus is at the forefront.

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My new Instrumental Guitar – Vol. 2 album is here and is available on all the streaming platforms (like Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube, etc.) The physical CDs are available on our website. I’m so excited how it turned out! You can hear how each song sounds at a special page with HearNow.com. This page will point you to a number of streaming platforms that carry my albums.

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The Summer Concerts at Mount Hermon are going great! This Saturday is Nichole Nordeman followed by Point of Grace the next week, Steve Green and Dick Tunney July 24th, and Phillips Craig and Dean July 31st. Phil Keaggy, Veritas, and Buddy Greene went very well with a good turn out for each. The series is called Worship in the Redwoods and is totally free. You will need to have a ticket because the seating is limited, but the tickets are free. Go to the Mount Hermon site and get a ticket.

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Thank you for your prayers and continuing support. It’s been fun seeing many of you at the concerts! Definitely catch me and say hi if you attend. Besides doing the new album and producing the Mount Hermon concerts, I’ve been teaching private guitar lessons and getting back into kickboxing. It has also been a joy getting more time with family this summer. May God richly bless you and give you His joy in the coming weeks.

Instrumental Guitar Vol. 2 Is Here

You can get the new album by going to the Heartfelt Music website. Hear excerpts of each song at HearNow.com. Watch four videos on our YouTube channel that explain fun facts about the album and each song:

Part 1 – Song Stories
Part 2 – Styles & Guitars
Part 3 – Keys & Capos
Part 4 – Art & Production

Enjoy the Free Concerts at Mount Hermon

Nichole Nordeman will be in concert at Mount Hermon this Saturday, July 10, at 6:30pm. Mark your calendar for the rest of this month as well: Point of Grace the next week, Steve Green and Dick Tunney July 24th, and Phillips Craig and Dean July 31st. CLICK HERE for more information.

Private Guitar Lessons this Summer

This summer I have ten private guitar students strumming new vibrations into their musical journey. We’re having fun through Zoom and starting back up with a few in-person lessons too. I will be open for new students in the fall. More info can be found at the COACHING page.

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New Instrumental Album

My new Instrumental Guitar – Vol. 2 album has been shipped and the new CD release date will be July 1st, next week! My son Brandon Coates is a professional illustrator and concept artist. He created the artwork for the front cover, back cover and the CD itself. I’ve included a picture of the album cover below. I will be explaining more about this album on our website in the next few days in order to give some history and fun facts about the project.

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This summer, I’m organizing the live 2021 Summer Concerts at Mount Hermon with Phil Keaggy coming tomorrow, Saturday, June 26, at 6:30pm. The series is called Worship in the Redwoods and is totally free. You will need to have a ticket because the seating is limited, but the tickets are free through iTickets and there is seating inside the auditorium and outside (you’ll have to specify which one you’d like).

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I will be introducing this album with four videos on the Heartfelt Music website this week. Make sure you press the RSS tab at the top right of the website page in order to view these videos when they come out. I will share the stories behind each song, the variety of styles and guitars used, the capos and keys used, and a look behind the art and production of the album.

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I really appreciate your encouragement and support for our ministry of leading others toward intimacy with God and excellence in artistry.

Phil Keaggy Performing at Mount Hermon

Phil Keaggy will be in concert at Mount Hermon this Saturday, June 26, at 6:30pm. As one of the best guitar players in the world, Phil’s dazzling abilities will leave you stunned! He is a multi-Dove Award winner. This will be his third year with us in person. You will be amazed and encouraged by his beautiful and creative musical tapestry. CLICK HERE for more information.

Music to Uplift and Encourage You

There are digital albums, music books, and free downloadable songs available at Gumroad.com. Visit our website Product page to get digital or physical products. You can also get my music through HearNow.com and listen on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and other music platforms. Heartfelt Worship is the latest album out and Instrumental Guitar Vol. 2 will be available July 1st.

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New Summer Music

I’m working on the new Instrumental Guitar – Vol. 2 album and very excited about how it’s coming along. I’ve finished recording all ten songs and now mixing and mastering them. It’s a fun process, but it does take a lot of time. The new target date is mid-June to have it available.
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Next week is the last week of the year for Valley Christian Schools. It’s been a crazy ride this year because of the pandemic, but the students and faculty weathered through it pretty well. Our worship team has one more performance this Thursday for the baccalaureate.
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My oldest son and his wife will be visiting in person with us this weekend for the first time in months because of the pandemic. Also, my youngest son and his wife will be visiting with us in a few weeks for the first time in months as well. Sherri and I are so thankful for family and really look forward to finally getting together.
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This summer, I’m organizing the live 2021 Summer Concerts at Mount Hermon with Phil Keaggy, Phillips Craig & Dean, Point of Grace, Veritas, Nichole Nordeman, Steve Green and Dick Tunney, and Buddy Greene & Jeff Taylor. The series is called Worship in the Redwoods and is totally free. You will need to have a ticket because he seating is limited, but the tickets are free through iTickets and there is seating inside the auditorium and outside (you’ll have to specify which one you’d like).
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I’ll be teaching summer private lessons through Zoom on Thursday afternoons beginning June 10th and there are a few openings if you’re interested. Do you need a boost in your music endeavors? Private coaching is a great way to really kick into gear new motivations and disciplines to move forward in music journey.
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Your prayers are appreciated so much! If not for the your support and others, we would not have as much impact through this ministry. Thank you! If you would like to make a donation to Heartfelt Music Ministry, visit our website at https://heartfeltmusic.org/about/support/ for the options available.
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May your Memorial Day weekend be both fun and meaningful!

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Instrumental Guitar – Vol. II Coming Album

This is my eighteenth album and it’s almost ready for distribution! It has such an interesting musical variety (easy rock, bluegrass, bossa nova, classical, light jazz). It’s primarily done with my Taylor 815CE acoustic guitar, but I also use an electric and nylon stringed guitars. There’s a story behind each of the songs and I’ll be giving more detail about all that in June.

Worship in the Redwoods at Mount Hermon

Two hours of encouraging music with some of your favorite Christian artists! Concert attendees can be with the artists inside with the artists or relax on the mezzanine patio and take in the night with beautiful music. Each program is free, but requires registration. The program begins at 6:30pm each Saturday evening. CLICK HERE for more information.

Getting Family Time This Summer

Sherri and I are excited to get together with our two sons and their wives after months of being careful about COVID19. All of us are feeling safer and the pandemic seems to be going in the right direction. We are looking forward to eating out, visiting local state parks, walking along the beach, and playing games in person.