This week we have the joy of sharing another “new-ish Attendee” within Savior’s community. If you haven’t already met The Schaller family, join me in getting to know them!
Who is your local family? OR What does your household look like?
Our local family is fairly small. Nathan and Danae recently got married this summer and moved to the area with our two cats, Pewter and Hamlet. Currently, Danae’s younger sister, Daria, lives with us also.
Where do you live? Where are you originally from?
We recently moved to downtown Elgin, IL. However, Nathan is originally from sunny Los Angeles, California. Danae and Daria grew up in equally sunny (but far more humid) Sarasota, Florida. Danae and Nathan met in biology lab while attending Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, where Daria is currently a student.
Are you related to anyone at Savior?
While we are not related to anyone at Savior, Danae and Nathan are both graduates of Wheaton’s biology program and have taken courses with many of the distinguished faculty that attend Savior. Therefore, they are at the very least part of our academic family at Savior!
How long have you been coming to Church of the Savior?
We have been attending Savior since August of 2019.
In your time at Savior so far, what have you enjoyed most?
We have been so thankful for everyone’s warm welcomes, strong desires to get to know us, and efforts to make us feel like part of the family. Nathan has particularly enjoyed his first liturgical church year ever as he grew up in a non-denominational church family; it has made him more aware of the rhythm of life with Christ and given him a big picture to refer back to in day to day life. Danae and Daria have appreciated the familiarity of Church of the Savior, especially in regards to the liturgy and small size of the congregation after growing up church planting in Florida with their family.
What do you enjoy about our services?
We really enjoy seeing all a variety of Savior members participating in the service. It helps us feel a lot more connected to those we do not get to see very often during these COVID times. Whether we’re watching Adrielle sing along to all the worship songs, or singing/signing Be Still together, or praying for each other by name, it has been wonderful to feel part of the family.
What do you do when you're not at church? (Job, hobbies, etc.)
Danae works as a Veterinary Technician at a local veterinary hospital while Nathan recently started a new job as the inventory manager for a tree specialist company. While not working, Nathan enjoys reading novels, playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends, and bringing to life the next home improvement project that Danae dreams up. Danae enjoys cooking and testing out new recipes on Nathan and Daria, as well as volunteering with a local dog rescue. Daria also works at Hanover Park Animal Care Center in the Boarding/Kenneling department, and enjoys embroidering in her free time.
Hamlet and Pewter enjoy sleeping, watching trucks from the window, sleeping, hunting the toy mice that roam the house, sleeping some more, cuddling with whoever is home, sleeping, and loudly asking for food to whomever will listen.
What has been a surprising gift during this time of COVID? And what don’t you want to return to “normal”?
Now several months into COVID, we are appreciating the ways in which life has slowed down and brought us together. One way we’ve found to connect is by collaborating on DIY home improvement projects that we may not have been able to complete prior to COVID. Among them are a set of closet shelves, repainting and repurposing an entertainment center, and most recently, building a fireplace for our living room! We’ve found these times great opportunities to grow closer and wish to keep them moving forward. Daria is particularly pleased with her new sewing and embroidery hobby, and will be sad when sewing during church will be less socially acceptable than it currently is.
COVID has also brought us many opportunities to depend on God’s timing and plans instead of our own. For example, while we had initially planned to see our entire family at our wedding this year, our ability to connect with our immediate families has been almost non-existent except for WhatsApp and Skype, as they are spread across the United States and even extending to Zambia, where Danae’s parents are missionaries. Because of this, in many ways, this means we’re almost more connected with them than ever before, by regular texts, calls, and video chats, despite the physical distances between us. And even once we’re back together (in person!) again, hopefully this will become a part of our new normal.
