Month: October 2025

WEST CHESTER — In a time when people often feel more connected to their phones than to one another, acclaimed singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken believes live music still has the power to bring people together.

“People are so hungry for live music, for being together in a room, and even singing together,” McCracken said. “There’s something very powerful about remembering that we are made to live and experience this life together.”

McCracken, a Grammy-nominated acclaimed singer whose style blends folk, country, and gospel, will perform at Westminster Presbyterian Church on West Chester on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. as part of her Welcome Home Tour. The tour marks the 10th anniversary of her album titled, “Psalms.”

While McCracken is a name well-known in the Christian music world, her expansive style attracts fans from across multiple genres.

“We do live in a fractured, divided time, but we probably have more in common than we realize,” she said. “Music can be a real way to find unity and build from things we agree on. I really like to focus in my music on themes of grace and hope, and on good storytelling. I think it’s an important step in how we can find our way back to each other.”

McCracken’s fall tour has origins in her childhood. “As a child and into early adulthood I would often journal, and I really focused on working through the Psalms,” she said. “As a singer-songwriter, I kept coming back to that. I think that emotion and joy and expression are part of what connects us most deeply with one another, and this music is an opportunity to experience that. It really gives us a common language.”

That “common language,” she adds, isn’t limited to churchgoers. “I hope that if someone didn’t have any kind of religious background, they would feel welcome at this show and not feel like we’re speaking some other language.”

Musically, McCracken says the evening will feel welcoming and participatory.

“The music we will be sharing is a real mixture of folk, country, Americana, and highlighting the Psalms,” she said. “We blend traditional hymns and their melodies but also find new ways to bring these beautiful old texts to life. Even for someone who isn’t very familiar with the Psalms, I think they will find this to be a night that is very participatory. We often encourage people to sing along in sections of the songs that are very simple and familiar. It draws people in and creates what a joyful experience.”

McCracken hopes the night meets people where they are. “I hope this show stirs something for anyone who attends,” she said. “Whether you come in carrying some heavy burdens from your life, maybe you’ll feel you can lay some of that down. Others may feel a little closed off, and I hope the music will help them open up and realize that none of us is alone.”

McCracken says that growing up in a large family, music was always in the background of a busy home, one that often included family friends and neighbors dropping by for dinner.

“My mom had a very vibrant faith, and my father was very active in our community as a coach and a high school teacher. We always had so many different kinds of people around our family and our doors were always open. I think that really helped to shape me.”

Based in Nashville, McCracken is a GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning artist whose 25-year career spans 18 solo albums. Her songs are sung in churches worldwide. In 2023, her album, “Light in the Canyon” won the GMA Dove Award for Roots/Bluegrass Album of the Year. She also hosts a national podcast and is the author of two books.

The concert at Westminster will also feature musician Jon Guerra. Tickets for the concert are $15 – $25. Click here to purchase. Saturday, Oct. 25, 7 – 9 p.m. (doors 6:15 p.m.) at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 10 W. Pleasant Grove Road, West Chester

October 3-5 • Spellman Hall
Join us when we package our One Millionth Meal for RiseAgainst Hunger since we partnered with them in 2012! Volunteer to help us package over 65,000 meals Saturday and/or Sunday, help with setup on Friday, or cleanup on Sunday. Everyone from age 4 to 94 is able to help. We will have face painting, RAH swag and more to celebrate!

If you cannot join us for meal packaging consider making a financial donation. Westminster pays $.41/meal to run this event. It costs approx $90 to feed a child for an entire school year.

Click here to sign up for a shift or donate.

Walk-ins welcomed all weekend. In particular, we need extra hands stuffing bags and preparing on Friday (4-8 pm). Come as your schedule allows. It will be a party with pizza too! 

As Presbyterians, we claim Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, and we pattern our lives in the compassion, kindness, and grace He demonstrates. We can joyfully extend that peace to others through the Peace & Global Witness Offering, which promotes peacemaking efforts throughout the world. This year, Westminster will direct 25% of this collection to Community Volunteers in Medicine. We will dedicate our gifts to this offering on World Communion Sunday, October 5. Learn how the PCUSA helps neighbors who live down the street and across the globe. Click here to donate online.

10:15 am Sunday, October 12 • Spellman Jr & Zoom 
The Office of Drug and Alcohol Prevention will offer NARCAN Training. No signups needed. For those unable to attend but want to learn this lifesaving technique, you can attend the training on Zoom.

The Chester County Sheriff’s Department will also provide a Mobile Medication Dropbox in the Narthex from 9:00-11:00 am. Please bring your unwanted or expired over-the-counter or prescription  medications for proper disposal. NO Syringes, please. Questions?Contact Brenda Schivito. 

7:00-9:00 pm Saturday, October 25 • Sanctuary 
Join us as we welcome Sandra McCracken and featured guest Jon Guerra for an unforgettable evening of music and community. Click here to purchase $20 tickets ($10 for students). Questions? Contact Jon Frost.

4:00-5:00 pm Sunday, October 26 • In the Parking lot
Join us for a special worship service to bless your family’s animals. Bring your pet on a leash or in a carrier for a special blessing as we give thanks to our/their Creator for their love and companionship. If your pet has passed, bring a picture of them to remember and bless the time that you had with them. As part of our worship, consider donating items from the Brandywine Valley SPCA West Chester shelter wish list. Bring the items with you to worship and we will deliver them. Click here to RSVP. Bring a lawn chair, blanket, or whatever you need to be comfortable outside.

November 21-23 • Massanetta Springs
This new retreat, called Keep Awake!, focuses on the tenets of PC(USA)’s Matthew 25 initiative: dismantling structural racism, eradicating systemic poverty, and building congregational vitality – the name comes from Matthew 25:13. This retreat is designed for high school students and their leaders and it emphasizes leadership development for high schoolers to consider how God’s grace is an invitation to follow Christ in solidarity with “the least of these”. $175/person. Click here to register. Questions? Contact Chris Clark.

Sunday Worship, October 19 • Brunch in Spellman after Worship
Gather in worship to hear a message from our guest preacher and speaker Rev. Dr. Emily Chudy, and be invited to make a personal commitment of financial support for the coming year. Following each worship service, we will celebrate with a joyful brunch, giving thanks for the abundance God has already provided and the generosity that flows from hearts aligned with God’s vision of a church dedicated to Knowing Christ, Making Christ Known in all that we do. We urge everyone to join in this Celebration Brunch! There is no cost to you. Please RSVP here.