Staying at it!

Life seems to be busier and more full than ever whether it’s family, friends, neighbors, work, church, hobbies, recreation, chores, or finances.  It’s easy to feel pulled in so many different directions.  How do we stay focused and not get scattered?  What’s important is that we keep the main things in the forefront of our mind and heart.  Having a Mission Statement for life is a big help.  For me, it is “to lead others toward intimacy with God.”  This puts God and people as the priorities in my life!  It’s not easy to keep priorities straight, but life flows better as we are tenacious, staying at it, daily reviewing and adjusting to be pleasing to God (2 Cor. 5:9).

I continue to give private music lessons in San Jose, Los Altos, and Mount Hermon; teach music and coordinate chapels at Valley Christian School; as well as lead worship with churches throughout the Bay Area. Digital products are available for instant download as well as physical products on our Product Page. Here is a list of digital downloads.

• Book A Special Report on Music & Worship in Churches throughout the Santa Clara County (Check it out)
• 25 song music book of Reggie’s songs called A Compilation of Compositions (Check it out)
• 20 song album called Intimacy (Check it out)
• 20 song album called Heartfelt Celebration (Check it out)

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  Please pray we will follow God’s leading and, in months to come, be found staying at it.

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Upcoming Events

Mar. 8-9 (Fr-Sa) Teaching Workshops at the BASS Convention, Castro Valley
Mar. 10 (Su) Leading Worship with Redwood Chapel, Castro Valley
Mar. 17 (Su), 24 (Palm Su), 30-31 (Easter Sa-Su) Leading Worship with Community Presbyterian Church, Danville
Mar. 23 (Sa) CD Release Concert at Bridges Community Church, Los Altos
Mar. 29 (Good Fr) Leading Worship with Peninsula Bible Church, Willow Glen

Details of these events and other events are at https://heartfeltmusic.org/calendar/

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Finished Recording!

This last weekend, I finished recording my first Instrumental album of 10 songs.  It was a a riot trying to do this in record time.  The first time I sat down to record two weeks ago, I broke a nail and was unable to get the consistent sound needed for the new song called Remember.  So, I went to Walmart and bought some fake temporary nails for my first three fingers on the right hand.  It worked great!  However, my students thought it was a little strange.  I didn’t feel too bad knowing Phil Keaggy uses them as well.  Now, I hope to mix and master each song and have the whole package ready by the Album Release Concert March 23rd.

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BASS Convention

I will be teaching three workshops at the Bay Area Sunday School (BASS) Convention March 8 and 9.  This year is their 50th anniversary of training church volunteers to be effective in church ministry.  They have over 200 workshops.  I’ll be teaching two on Friday – Building a Worship Band and Effective Guitar in Worship. Then, one on Saturday called Band Interactive.  I’ll be using the Valley Christian High School Worship Band to assist in demonstrating worship band techniques.  I’ve been involved with them for 10 years and find it is an excellent conference to encourage and inspire volunteers to lead use their gifts for God’s glory.

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Album Release Concert

I would like to invite you to my Album Release Concert at Bridges Community Church in Los Altos.  I will be sharing songs and stories from my new album Instrumental Guitar, Vol. 1.  This album release concert is a celebration of my first instrumental album and my 13th album overall.  There is mostly acoustic guitar with some electric guitar with fun techniques like alternate tunings, use of capos and e-bow, in many different styles (Rock, Irish, Hendrix style, jazz, classical, easy listening). Bring friends and family.  The concert is free!  You can view one of the songs, Freedom’s Challenge at Reggie’s YouTube Channel.

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The beginning of the school year has been a whirlwind.  Last week was Spiritual Emphasis Week at Valley Christian Schools.  I was able to teach on Jeremiah and his dirty underwear during one of the High School chapels (Jeremiah 13:1-11). The week turned out to be very inspirational and encouraging.  Would you continue to pray with me that God would nurture and mature each student spiritually in the coming weeks.

I took one of my worship teams to sing for a missions organization called Innocent Voices (who help fight human trafficking).  They did a fantastic job and it was a great way to get closer as a team.

I am leading worship at various churches each Sunday and would love to minister with yours.  I’ll be at Peninsula Bible Church in Willow Glen the first Sunday in October and will continue to lead with Redwood Chapel once a month (check online at https://heartfeltmusic.org/calendar/).

I’m continuing to teach private lessons in Los Altos, San Jose, and Mount Hermon.  I would like to add 4 or 5 more students if you know anyone passionate to learn and develop in both their skill and faith https://heartfeltmusic.org/academy/.

Again, thank you so much for your prayers and encouraging emails.  Your support is such a blessing.  May you experience God’s brilliant love in every aspect of life.

Hope you’ve enjoyed the summer!  It went by so fast for me.  I will be working full-time at Valley Christian School in San Jose and will not continue as the Director of Worship Ministries at Redwood Chapel after next week.  This will mean more focus, more time at home and less travel.  Please, pray for the transition to be encouraging for all.  My family and I were able to go to Southern California for vacation last week.  What a joy to spend extended time together.

Songwriting Intensive This Saturday

August 11 (Sat), 9:00am-12:00pm – Songwriting Intensive, Mount Hermon

I will be facilitating a three hour Songwriting Intensive this Saturday at the Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center Fireside Room, limited to 10 participants.  It is more of an intimate setting with personal interaction and attention.  Call me if you’d like to attend.  All the information is at our website under courses/camps.

Concert/Worship Night This Sunday

August 12 (Sun), 7:30pm-8:45pm – South Hills Community Church, San Jose.

I will be  leading a worship night and share some of my own songs.  It is entitled “Empower” which will inspire and encourage you to let Jesus empower you to fully live life!  It will begin at 7:30pm Sunday.  More information can be found at https://heartfeltmusic.org/calendar/ .

May you be empowered to live life to the full.  Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Hope you enjoyed the Fourth of July!  We can celebrate the freedom we have in Christ and be thankful for the freedom we experience in this nation.  Last Sunday’s concert in Los Altos was a fantastic start to the “Empower” summer concert tour.  I’ll be with full band this Sunday in Castro Valley doing an UpReach worship night combined with an acoustic concert.  If you can come, I guarantee you’ll be refreshed in your faith!  This Saturday morning will be the Adult Beginning Guitar Intensive at Mount Hermon.  So, if you know anyone who’d like to learn guitar quickly, tell them about this training workshop (details below).  Thank you for your prayers through these events and your encouraging notes and comments throughout the month.  I hope my music touches your heart as God has touched mine.

Concert/Worship Refreshment

I will be doing concerts this summer throughout the Bay Area.  They are entitled “Empower” which will inspire and encourage you to allow Jesus to empower you to live life to the full!  In each location, the concerts will begin at 6:00pm Sunday evenings.  I’ll be sharing songs that haven’t been recorded yet and some favorites.  The evening will also include worship songs you can sing along with.  More information can be found at

https://heartfeltmusic.org/calendar/ .

• July 8 (Sun) – Castro Valley Concert & Worship, Redwood Chapel Comm. Ch.
• July 22 (Sun) – Felton Concert, Felton Bible Church
• July 29 (Sun) – Morgan Hill Concert, Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church
• August 12 (Sun) – San Jose Concert, South Hills Community Church

Guitar Intensives

I will be holding six three-hour Guitar Intensives this summer.  Three are for youth grades 5-12 and three are for adults.  The youth ones are held on Fridays from 9:00am to 12:00pm at Valley Christian High School in the Conservatory Bldg. (San Jose area).  The adult ones are held on Saturdays from 9:00am to 12:00pm at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center in the Fireside Room (Santa Cruz area).  The Advanced Guitar one has been changed to July 14 at my home from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.  Make sure you fill out an Application Form and get it in right away.  They include three hours of instruction, a challenging training/resource book (The Complete Guitar Manual, with DVD included), a notebook, and relevant handouts.  All the information is at our website under courses/camps.

• July 7 (Sat) – Beginning Guitar Intensive (Adult), Mt. Hermon
• July 13 (Fri) – Beginning Guitar Intensive (Grades 5-12), VCHS
• July 14 (Sat) – Intermediate Guitar Intensive (Adult), Mt. Hermon
• July 14 (Sat) – Advanced Guitar Intensive (Adult), 1:00pm, Reggie’s home
• July 20 (Fri) – Intermediate Guitar Intensive (Grades 5-12), VCHS
• July 27 (Fri) – Advanced Guitar Intensive (Grades 5-12), VCHS

Songwriting Intensive

August 11 (Sat) – Christian Songwriting Intensive (Adult)

I will be facilitating a one day Songwriting Intensive this summer at the Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center Fireside Room, limited to 10 participants.  It is more of an intimate setting with personal interaction and attention.  Because it’s limited, make sure you get in the Application Form right away.  It includes three hours of instruction, sharing songs, personal coaching, a challenging training/resource book (God Songs, by Paul Baloche with Jimmy & Carol Owens), a notebook, and relevant handouts for $85.00.  All the information is at our website under courses/camps.

Support

You can go to https://heartfeltmusic.org/about/support/ to either donate a one-time gift or begin a monthly contribution.  Any amount would propel us forward.  Your tax deductible gifts enable us to minister more broadly and effectively.

I hope you are enjoying the winter.  It’s been so sunny in the Bay Area…beautiful!

Last month held significant ministry events with teaching on “Why Worship God” with the Bay Area Chinese Bible Church in San Leandro, leading worship with Open Door Church Mountain View, the all-day Training Day last week, elementary guitar course with Valley Christian Elementary School, and coaching 25 private and semi-private students  throughout the month.

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VCES Guitar Class

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I will be the Keynote Speaker for the Music & Worship portion of the 2011 BASS Convention giving multiple workshops (Dynamic Guitar in Worship, Bass Guitar in Worship, The Whole Enchilada of Music Ministry, Worship Infusion, and more).  There will be other highly experienced instructors (Keyboards, Worship Leading, Voice, Directing a Choir, Making a CD, Audio Mixing, and more). There is one workshop with multiple instructors called Band Interactive where participants can play along and interact with the band members experiencing what works and what doesn’t work in leading worship as a band. Visit the site at http://www.bassconvention.org/.  It will be at Redwood Chapel, 19300 Redwood Rd. Castro Valley, CA 94546, Friday & Saturday, March 4 & 5.

Let me know if I can be of service to you through encouraging music (8 CDs available), private or semi-private lessons (San Jose, Los Altos, Danville, and Mount Hermon), speaking or worship leading (services, retreats, and special events), or a concert (with or without band).

We had a fantastic trip to Washington DC as a family with many great bonding moments.  There were some ministry events which brought us there (leading worship for the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts Jamboree, leading worship for New Life Community Church, and holding two workshops at another church), but most of the time was spent sight seeing.  We took a lot of pictures, but I just included a few to give you an idea of our wonderful experience there.

We were able to visit my brother and his wife, see many memorials (like the Lincoln Memorial), see many museums (like the Space Museum Annex and the Marine Corps Museum), go swimming in the Potomac River because of some good friends (the Turner family), see George Washington’s home, visit a Tavern in Fredericksburg, eat lunch in Georgetown, and stay with some truly amazing friends (the Katsarelis family) in Stafford, Virginia.

Thank you for praying for us.  It was a blessing that everyone enjoyed the flights for the most part.  We were all pretty flexible with the schedule and that made it enjoyable and not rushed.  The weather was actually pretty nice during our stay there.  We had many reasons to thank God for this trip, but the best one is the closeness of our family.  We are all very grateful for this.

Boy Scout Jamboree Band - Austin, Reggie, Dean & Brandon

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I hope your summer has been a good one overall.  Mine has gone by so fast, but it has been great!  I can’t believe there’s only a couple of weeks left.  I took the family to Washington DC for two weeks and we had a rich time together as well as some memorable ministry events.  I am now lining up all kinds of events for September doing what I love: encouraging others through leadership, music, and training. [click here to see a list of coming events]

I’ll be doing two concerts this weekend, so I hope you can make one of them (Felton Bible Church Saturday night and Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church Sunday night).  I’ll be sharing what’s new with me as well as encouraging you in Christ (see below).

This is a new season for Heartfelt Music Ministry where, in order for more ministry to take place, I will need to raise support.  I will be raising $2,000 a month as I will be serving with Heartfelt Music Ministry full-time now.  Would you pray about supporting me and the Coates family as we devote ourselves to the Lords work in this vibrant ministry?  I will be sending another letter in a couple of days explaining it more and asking for your help.  Thank you for your consideration.  [click here to read more about donations]

I’ll be teaching a number of 8 week music courses throughout the Bay Area starting in September.  These are mostly for children and youth, yet there are a couple of beginning guitar classes for adults.  I’ll teach in Danville (band and guitar at San Ramon Valley Christian Academy), San Jose (guitar with Valley Christian Schools and Showcase Music Institute), Los Altos (voice with Los Altos Christian School), and Scotts Valley (guitar with Baymonte Christian School). [click here to find out more about the courses offered]

Mark your calendars to pray for the following events and come if you can.  You’re welcome to get involved with any of these events.  Your prayers are so much appreciated.  Here’s what’s coming:

• August 21 (Sat) – Felton Bible Church, Felton, CA [http://www.feltonbiblechurch.org].  Family worship and concert.  Reggie will be sharing in concert at 7:00pm.

• August 22 (Sun) – Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church, CA [http://www.mhpc.org/].  Family worship and concert.  Reggie will be sharing in concert at 7:00pm.
• August 29 (Sun) – First Baptist Church Watsonville, CA [http://www.fbcwatsonville.com/].  Reggie will be leading worship and sharing in concert for their special 10:30am service at Koinonia Christian Conference Center [http://gotocamp.org/].

• August 30-September 2 (Mon-Thu) – Christian Songwriters Conference, Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center, CA [http://mounthermon.org/adult/professionals/songwriters].  Reggie will be teaching songwriting workshops and judging for the songwriting competition at the conference.  He will share in concert Monday night.

• September 3-6 (Fri-Mon) – Labor Day Family Camp Weekend, Sugarpine Christian Conference Center, CA [http://www.sugarpine.org/camps/FamilyCamp/FamilyCamp.shtml].  Reggie will be leading worship throughout the weekend.
• October 5-7 (Tue-Thu) – The National Worship Leader Conference, LCBC, Lancaster, Pennsylvania [http://www.nationalworshipleaderconference.com/home].  Reggie will be teaching both the Electric Guitar and Acoustic Guitar training workshops.

• October 22-24 (Fri-Sun) – Fall Men’s Retreat, Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center, CA [http://mounthermon.org].  Reggie will be leading worship throughout the weekend.

There will be a special concert with Phil Keaggy in Monterey on Thursday, September 16^th at 7:00pm.  The concert is in honor of a recent double lung transplant for Justin Mompean.  Phil and other friends are doing the concert to help with the medical costs.  Tickets are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door. [click here for more info and tickets]
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July has been a month of defining direction for the Coates family.  Last month was a tough one with the surprise of my position being eliminated at the church I was ministering at full-time (because of church financial struggles).  This month, I’ve been working to launch Heartfelt Music Ministry full-time again.  This is a new direction from the last two years as I’ve been doing more discipling, teaching, and nurturing the people of Creekside Community Church spiritually and musically, staying more local.  Now, I will be traveling more and ministering to the church-at-large.  Brandon just graduated from High School and is going to San Jose State University in Animation/Illustration which is a new direction for him (though he has been anticipating it for years).  Austin is doing well, taller than everyone in our family, and will be going to a new school as a sophomore this fall.  Sherri also is doing well enjoying the community of friends at Mount Hermon.  Both of us miss the people at our old church and are feeling a sense of loss.  Through all the changes, we’re excited about the future and realize it’s all a part of God’s adventurous plan.  We trust Him fully and look forward to seeing how God is going to use us for His glory!

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Concert at Hillview Baptist Church

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Things are picking up for Heartfelt Music Ministry!  Had a wonderful time at the Hillview Baptist Church concert last week.  After a fantastic week teaching at the National Worship Leader Conference in New Mexico, they asked me to teach at their main one in Kansas mid-July.  I’ll be leading worship at Felton Bible Church a couple of times this month.  Also, tomorrow night I’ll be teaching a workshop at Guitar Showcase on Chords and Progressions for anyone interested.  I was in the studio recording an acoustic guitar part for a band called Cede (here the finished song Shades of Grey at http://www.reverbnation.com/cedewest) and next week we will be recording my song Getting Stronger with their band.

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Pray with me and my family as I explore how the Lord would have me minister now that I’m no longer with Creekside.  I will be teaching more private guitar lessons, leading worship in churches, holding more training workshops, and doing more concerts.  Let me know if you have any ideas (as some of you have been).  I am on Facebook and that is a good way to keep connected too.

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Join the fun

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• July 6 (Tuesday, 7:00pm-8:00pm) – Guitar Showcase [http://guitarshowcase.com/], Showcase Music Institute presents Reggie Coates Chords & Progressions workshop for students and guests, $20.00 for guests).
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• July 19-22 (Mon-Thu) – The National Worship Leader Conference, Church of the Resurrection, Kansas City, KS [http://www.nationalworshipleaderconference.com/home].  Reggie will be teaching both the Electric Guitar and Acoustic Guitar training workshops.

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I want to thank the many of you who are praying for me and Heartfelt Music Ministry.  The Spirit is moving in and through a number of people I’m coaching and discipling.  It is very fulfilling to be used in a local way through Creekside Community Church in the Worship & Arts Ministry and working with the High School Minister, Middle School Minister, and Student Ministry’s Worship Intern.  It’s also fulfilling to have a broader ministry in training musicians through lessons and encouraging churches through Worship Leading and training workshops.
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I’ve started two beginning classes for young guitarists during February in San Jose and Alamo.  I’m also continuing private lessons in Alamo, San Jose, and Los Altos.  I am proud of my students who take seriously their skill advancement and spiritual maturing.
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This Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I will be teaching worskshops and singing in the Vocal Ensemble at the BASS Convention.  This conference is for anyone who ministers in a church.  Luis Palau and John Ortberg are two of the main speakers.  There will be 13 classes in the Music & Worship section which are both practical and inspirational (for drums, bass guitar, guitar, keyboard, voice, worship leading, songwriting, and putting together a worship ministry).  Come bring your whole team!
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A new music book was published this last month called Reggie Coates – A Compilation of Compositions.  It has 25 of my songs written out in tab for guitar and voice.  Some have been written out through the computer and others by hand.  It’s been coming in handy with my students as they learn my songs with a variety of guitar technique. https://heartfeltmusic.org/products.
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