We are on Halsøy in the early 1730s. The young Ellen Kierstine arrives at Tithing Exchange with her foster mother Maren. Ellen Kierstine is impatient and full of life – there is so much to explore. Not least, she seeks answers to who she herself is and where she comes from. The foster mother is ill, and has agreed to marry off an ignorant Ellen Kierstine to the newly appointed priest Søren Spentrup. There are romantic entanglements when Ellen Kierstine first meets Niels, a young and handsome carpenter, and sami Herringbotn-Jo, who sees more than most people do.
Lisbeth Klokker is a damaged soul who pits people against each other and who demands that the priest deal with the Sami magic. Together, Ellen Kierstine, Niels and Herringbotn-Jo work against the conflicts between villagers and Sami people to build a new church at Dolstad. It's a battle about life and death. Can they all gather to finish the church on a voluntary basis? The wedding ceremony will take place as soon as the new church is erected. However, Ellen Kierstine still wants the priest Spentrup after she has received an answer as to who she is? 

June 30 - July 2
Festspillene Helgeland 

With the theatre project "To Come Home" we want to gather all of Mosjøen town for a celebration of Dolstad Church and its importance for the town and the population. "To Come Home" is a cross-over between open-air theatre and church play in three acts that takes place in the area around Vefsn Bygdetun and Dolstad Church in Mosjøen. The story is inspired by real events and people, but also by myths and legends and outright poems and lies.

The project brings together dozens of volunteers who, together with a professional artistic team, are responsible for the staging. Ketil Kolstad (incoming artistic director at Nordland Theatre) has written the script and Tore Bruvoll (known from the band Hekla Stålstrenga) has composed the music. The direction is by Hanne Brincker assisted by local instructors Marit Thrana and Julie Christensen Valla.

Culture in the church – Vefsn (KKV) and Mosjøen Byspill AL is responsible for the project, and collaborates with Vefsn theatre team, Musikklinja MVS, Vefsn culture school and Dolstad parish. The project is supported by, among others, Bodø 2024 – European Capital of Culture, Sør-Hålogaland diocese, Arts Council Norway, Samfunnsløftet SNN and Vefsn municipality.

Book and lyrics: Ketil Kolstad
Music: Tore: Bruvoll
Director: Hanne Brincker
Production manager: Marit Thrana
Producer: Culture in the Church - Vefsn - Martha Mikalsen