Savannah And Aaron Short Find Family And Community At St. Michael Parish

For Savannah Short, St. Michael Parish has always been home. Growing up the oldest of five children, Savannah witnessed the strong faith life of her parents, Joe and Sharon Seamann, who have been lending a hand as active parishioners for decades. Today, the family tradition of stewardship lives on in Savannah and her husband, Aaron, as they help with various activities at the church.

While Savannah has deep roots in Spalding, Aaron is a longtime traveler thanks to his work with the Lynch Carnival. The two met at the carnival one year and enjoyed getting to know each other over the following summers. Five years ago, Aaron and Savannah got married and bought a house near the fairgrounds. Since a small motel came with the property, they embarked on yet another adventure as owners of the Short Stay Inn.

Life is certainly busy for the Shorts these days as Savannah teaches at Spalding Academy, Aaron continues to work with the carnival, and the couple runs the motel together. At the same time, the Shorts are enjoying their vocation to parenthood, having welcomed their third child in December!

No matter how busy things get, the Shorts continue to make time for parish involvement. Savannah serves as a greeter, reader, and Eucharistic Minister at Mass. She also participates in the Catholic Daughters and the St. Anne’s Society and is a former member of the stewardship committee.

“It’s just how we grew up,” she says of her parish involvement. “We still sit in the same pew where I sat with my parents and siblings. My parents have always been active in the church, and my grandparents as well.”

“It’s really a family habit,” agrees Aaron. “I’ve never been to church here where a member of her family wasn’t doing something — singing or helping with Mass in some way.”

Although Aaron is not Catholic, he attends Mass with the family and finds many ways to pitch in at St. Michael. He has helped with the school carnival as well as church decoration and cleaning. For Aaron, participating in parish life has been a way to strengthen his ties to the area.

“I get to meet people in the community,” he says. “I’m not an outgoing person, but this is a way to meet people and say ‘hi,’ and now everyone knows me at this point.”

While the Catholic faith has always been a central part of Savannah’s life, she identifies the Going Bananas and Higher Ground retreats she attended in high school as experiences that really helped her develop a personal ownership of her faith. As an adult, Savannah has helped with both of these retreats and introduced Aaron to them as well. She loves witnessing the transformation that takes place in the young people who attend.

“I know how big of a difference these retreats made in my life,” she says. “Higher Ground is a weeklong retreat. The kids come in saying, ‘I hate this, I don’t want to be here,’ and then on the last day we have to shove them out the door and they don’t want to leave because they love it. It’s great watching them grow. Even as an adult, I come home with something else each time, so I’m still growing, too.”

Savannah also feels blessed to be a part of the faith formation of her third and fourthgrade students at Spalding Academy. She loves being able to bring God into the classroom as she helps shape the next generation. She also makes a point of encouraging the students to come to Mass on the weekends.

Between their work responsibilities and home life with Aariannah, 4, Josiah, 2, and baby Isaiah, there is never a dull moment for the Shorts! They are grateful for the support of many dear people in their life, including family, friends, bosses and colleagues, and the parish community at St. Michael. Savannah hopes that more young families will decide to make church life a priority and come to know the many blessings that come from living active discipleship.

“To keep the community going, it takes a village,” she says. “Let’s keep the village together with God.”

Savannah and Aaron Short with their children, Isaiah (4 months), Aariannah (4), and Josiah (2)