As a child, Christy Berghoef roamed barefoot across a small farm on the south side of Holland MI. In early adulthood, she moved to Washington DC, where her world—and her perspective—expanded in unexpected ways. After decades away, she returned to the same forty acres that shaped her earliest memories.

In this reflective session, participants are invited to consider the timeless idea that “you can never go home again.” Through personal stories and guided reflection, she will explore what it means to return—not just to a place, but to memory, identity, and belonging.

Together, we’ll engage questions such as: What is home? How do we recognize it? And how can we create a sense of home for others, especially those arriving from elsewhere? Participants are encouraged to come ready to reflect, write, and share in a thoughtful, welcoming space.

Recommended reading: Rooted: A Spiritual Memoir of Homecoming, ISBN 978-1641802239, is available online and in limited quantity at the Calvin University campus store.

Subject: history

Christy Berghoef is an author, speaker, contemplative photographer, musician, civil discourse consultant, and mindfulness practitioner. She also finds joy in gardening and solo backpacking. Christy co-leads Holland United Church of Christ with her husband, Bryan, and together they have raised their four children adjacent to her parent's farm, the same forty-acre farm where she—and her father before her—grew up.