Meet Our Minister of Music
Meet the Voice Behind Our Music
Celebrating two years of song and community with Sarah Baab
Two-Year Anniversary Profile
Catching Up with Sarah Baab
Sarah Baab became Minister of Music at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church in October 2024. It seemed a wonderful time to catch up on how her work here has been unfolding over the past two years.
Sarah previously directed music at a Woodbury Methodist church during a time of church transition and pandemic challenges. Looking for a community where she could expand her ministry and find a spiritual home for her family, she interviewed at Saint Matthew—and knew it was the right fit.
Sarah’s lifelong journey in church music began in childhood as the only child singing in the adult choir at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in North Jersey. Close to New York City, the large choir featured section leaders from esteemed conservatories like Juilliard, touring internationally and performing at the Vatican and Notre Dame Cathedral. By age 16, Sarah was honored to sing in a quartet with three section leaders at the Vatican.
She earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from West Chester University, followed by her Masters and PhD in Music History from the University of Maryland, College Park. Today, she teaches at both Rowan University (Music Appreciation, History of Popular Music) and the University of Delaware (Western Art Music, Opera, Musical Theater, Women in Music, and more).
Balancing Family & Ministry
Sarah’s husband, Dan, earned mechanical engineering degrees from UMDCP and manages electrical engineering for the Navy at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. They met in the Honors College at West Chester University. Together, they have four children: Liam (10), Jacob (7), Charlie (5), and Madeline (2). Dan coaches youth baseball and soccer, and the family enjoys weekly game and movie nights.
Managing a busy household requires immense organization. With Sarah’s mother living nearby, family dinners with “Nana” happen twice a week, providing wonderful support. When she isn’t teaching or directing, Sarah loves competitive board games like Trivial Pursuit and crossword puzzles.
Growing Our Music Community
Reflecting on her time at Saint Matthew, Sarah notes that her biggest early challenge was learning the liturgical rhythms and musical cues of Lutheran worship, along with mastering our pipe organ.
What brings her the greatest joy? “Working with the choir.” She highlights wonderful collaborations with guest instrumentalists, Dave Harp, and our Handbell Choir—especially welcoming younger participants into the ring.
Looking ahead, Sarah’s vision for the music ministry is deeply rooted in community outreach. Our choirs have already sung alongside First Baptist, Second Baptist, Bethel AME, and Our Lady of Good Counsel, as well as participating in community band concerts, Martin Luther King services, and Juneteenth celebrations at the Perkins Center for the Arts.
Sarah warmly invites anyone interested to join the Adult Choir or Handbell Choir. Thank you, Sarah, for your dedication to keeping music central to our worship at Saint Matthew!
Read more in The Messenger
These stories appear on pages 6 and 7 of the November 2026 issue.