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Boston Globe
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
A mini megachurch is slowly taking over the Liberty Tree Mall
People mingled outside Netcast. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff No one ever guesses it's a church, let alone a church that now fills a huge chunk of the innards of the mall, hosting 1,000 people during two services on a typical Sunday. Its membership is growing so rapidly that Netcast recently leased a third storefront to create overflow seating for people who couldn't fit into the main church. If you find it weird for a booming 'mini' megachurch to be located in a mall across from an arcade that just has claw machines, Matt Chewning, the church's founder and lead pastor, would agree with you. But he would also tell you it's working. Advertisement 'It's been amazing to see people rolling into Marshalls to return something and suddenly finding themselves checking out our church,' he said. Others find their way into the coffee shop, asking about what's going on. 'It happens every week. A large part of our church has simply stumbled in.' Netcast — think casting a net, a reference to a story from the Gospel of Matthew — has been around since 2010, when Chewning, a former college basketball player, started preaching out of his Beverly home. Netcast is a Christian church, but unaffiliated with any denomination, and intentionally laid-back. This isn't the kind of church where people show up in their 'Sunday best'; Chewning is fond of preaching in a T-shirt and sneakers. Advertisement Pastor Matt Chewning delivered his sermon on a recent Sunday. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Chewning first had the idea to move his church into the mall when he walked out of the AMC one day in 2018, noticed a store with the ridiculous name 'Kids 4 Less,' and kind of joked to himself that they'd let anyone in there. At the time, Netcast was searching hard for a place to move the church, after a long run at Briscoe Middle School in Beverly, which began in 2012. When the middle school moved into an And why not the the opposite of claustrophobia, you can find it quickly on the walk down the Olympic-length walled-in corridor that leads to Kohl's. That's because the mall is structured around big box retailers such as Target, Best Buy, and Total Wine & More that you enter directly from the parking lot, rather than the mall proper. Chewning knows all about how important a mall can be for building community. He's 42 and grew up in New Jersey when its mall culture was the stuff of legend, and it's not like Netcast is the first church to set up in a mall. Just across Route 114 at the Advertisement It took 18 months to build out the main church, which has 350 seats and is entered through the coffee shop, and on March 12, 2020, Netcast received its certificate of occupancy. It never got the chance to hold a service before the world shut down. The mall it returned to after COVID was more tumbleweedy. The movie theater was doing nowhere near its former numbers, and the food court became barren. Yet Netcast thrived by betting on two things: people were looking for a church that didn't feel like a church; and Pastor Matt Chewning called his wife Beth Chewning up to the stage to acknowledge her on Mother's Day during a service. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Chewning gives off the vibe of a cocky ex-hooper but has an earnest self-deprecation to his conversations and his preaching, leaning more toward the questions he's asking himself than the answers he's found. He came to Christianity somewhat accidentally, after he was recruited to play basketball at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy. He said he had zero interest in religion, but he was surprised to find himself drawn to a group of fellow students at the Christian college who were committed believers, including his soon-to-be wife Beth. He went all in quickly, and after college, when he and Beth were living in North Carolina with their four children, he felt called to start a church of his own, affiliated with nothing except the Bible. Advertisement To accomplish that goal, the couple set their sites on a return to Massachusetts, which they describe as 'under-reached.' In 2010, a 27-year-old Matt Chewning held the first Netcast service in the living room of their home for 30 people he met on Facebook. His message, and Netcast itself, has been under construction ever since, by design. 'Other churches tell you what they believe and want you to adopt those beliefs. We think it's a process, and we want people to feel comfortable being in process.' Chewning said the mall, like the elementary school before it, was a perfect fit for his style of church, because he always wanted it to feel like it was in the center of a community, not tucked away on the outskirts. But even he has been surprised by the growth of the church since moving into the mall. 'We didn't move in thinking it was some marketing idea of 'Location, location, location.' It was never about growth. It was about having enough space for the people we had. And now . . . we just don't have enough seats.' A woman followed along with the Bible reading from the overflow room at Netcast. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Chewning said he's in talks with the mall about building a 1,000-seat auditorium. Already, Netcast is hosting Sunday school-type classes in two of the theaters at AMC, and it just opened the 200-seat overflow room, where people can watch the main service on a video feed. Chewning always tells everyone the church is about Jesus, and the rest they try to keep simple. 'People don't have a problem with Jesus, they have a problem with churches,' he said. 'Even the word 'church' comes with all sorts of baggage. We don't hide that we're a church, but it's not on the door.' Advertisement Chewning said the church has a loose congregation of about 2,000 people and that typically half of them come to church on a Sunday. (There are services at 9 and 11 a.m.) And Netcast, as well as nontraditional churches like it, are growing in an era in which Claire Simmons prayed during a worship song at Netcast, inside the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, on May 11. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff So what is a Netcast service? On a recent Sunday, the 11 a.m. service began, as usual, with a full-on concert, a 40-minute set performed by three guitarists, a drummer, a keyboardist, and two singers, working their way through several modern Christian rock songs while a multimedia display accompanied them on the giant screens that ring the stage. When Chewning finally swaggered on, carrying an iPad and a Bible, he was wearing white Reeboks and a baggy T-shirt that read 'Living Testimony.' He preached for nearly 50 minutes on a theme of ' It's a new concept of 'church' for a new age. And it's all happening inside the Liberty Tree Mall, next door to a Five Below, for an audience that was on its way somewhere else and instead found a church — and then kept coming back. The Quadros-Lopez family, of Peabody, left the Liberty Tree Mall after attending a Netcast church service. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Billy Baker can be reached at
Boston Globe
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Turkish locals demonstrate outside Consulate General to protest arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
Advertisement This man looks toward to consulate. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff The arrest offset the largest wave of protests in Turkey in more than a decade and fueled the Boston Turkish community to gather on Sunday and call out what they say is a threat to a fair election in a nation riddled by the silencing of those who speak out against the sitting president. 'Stay Strong Turkey' and 'Vote Democratic Turkey' were among the signs held by participants, who ranged in age from little kids waving handheld Turkish flags to older adults who looked on at the crowd singing Turkish songs together with tears misting their eyes. Related : The raid on Imamoglu's residence and his arrest came after Istanbul prosecutors issued arrest warrants for the mayor and more than 100 other people as part of investigations into alleged corruption, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Early Sunday morning, Turkish prosecutors requested that Imamoglu be formally arrested over allegations of corruption and terrorism. Participants, who did not want to be identified in the article out of fear for their visa statuses, said that what's happening in Turkey threatens the prospect of the nation gaining an elected leader who believes in democracy. 'Our love for Türkiye is unwavering, and it is precisely because of this love that we raise our voices when we see democratic values being undermined,' organizers wrote in a statement that was passed out to attendees. 'Our protest is against the unfair treatment of elected officials and the suppression of democratic rights.' Advertisement Around 200 Turkish locals demonstrated in front of the Turkish Consulate General Sunday afternoon to show support for Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who they believe was wrongfully arrested as an attempt to block his bid for presidency. — Alexa Coultoff (@alexacoultoff) A day before his arrest, Istanbul University The unprecedented decision effectively disqualifies the politician from running for president. Under Turkish laws, only university graduates can hold presidential office. Imamoglu has said he will legally challenge the decision. Related : The Republican People's Party, or CHP, and other opposition critics see the arrest and ensuing threats as a politically motivated plot against one of Turkey's most popular politicians and accuse Erdogan's government of carrying out a 'coup' to prevent his political rise. The justice minister has rejected the claims of alleged government pressure over the courts, insisting the judiciary was acting impartially. Opinion polls have indicated that Imamoglu could defeat Erdogan if he ran for president. The crowd jumps in unison while chanting. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff In Boston, participants took turns making speeches in Turkish into a microphone while the crowd cheered. One of the popular Turkish chants that was repeated throughout the 2-hour demonstration instructed everyone to jump up and down and said that if they didn't jump, that meant they supported Erdogan. Not one person was seen with both feet on the ground. 'We're here because we can't get a degree that's credible in our own country,' said Ece Turhal, an undergraduate student at Northeastern University who held a sign that said 'We'll be right back,' a nod to her plan to earn her degrees in the United States and then return home to Turkey to help raise awareness to issues Turkish students face. Last week in Turkey's capital of Ankara, Advertisement 'What's happening in Turkey right now is not lawful, Erdogan is trying to use the court system to eliminate his opponents, and Imamoglu is one of the recent leaders who can actually bring hope to Turkish people,' said Ozge Getkin, 47, who has lived in Boston since 2001. 'If we cannot trust the justice and code of law, we have nothing left.' Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Alexa Coultoff can be reached at
Boston Globe
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Dancer Ananth Udupa roots his philosophy in the Natyashastra, an ancient Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts
The 'Upanayana Project' blends 'that history and my lived experience as a queer child being asked to renounce his femininity, his queerness,' Udupa said. Advertisement Ananth Udupa keeps a photograph of himself at age 4 on his phone, which plays recorded music for his rehearsal at the Dance Complex. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Where to find him : Age : 25 Lives in : Medford Making a living : Formerly a cultural planner at the Ananth Udupa rehearses "Upanayana Project" at the Dance Complex. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Studio : The Dance Complex in Cambridge. How he started : The choreographer didn't consider himself an artist until after college, at a program run by the dance nonprofit proud of this,'' he recalled. He began 'acknowledging my background in dance as of value for myself and also for the world.' What he makes : He roots his philosophy of dance in the Ananth Udupa rehearses at the Dance Complex. His classical Indian style of Bharatanatyam features abstract geometries and emotion-based storytelling. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff 'Emotions, or rasa , which translates to 'the eternal nectar,' is the tool through which the dancer attains enlightenment, and in that moment shares it with the audience,' Udupa said. 'It is in communicating story through gesture, through movement, and in community that we heal.' How he works : With 'Upanayana Project,' Udupa said, 'it's been a process of 'I have an idea, but I don't have the words for it,' and then slowly starting to find words. Working on a little bit of movement, maybe finding some music and then taking a pause.' Advertisement In the pause, he researched the ritual's history and interviewed scholars and initiates. From there, it's back to the studio. 'Now I have all this material that's circling in my brain that I can begin to create with,' Udupa said. Dance notations in Ananth Udupa's sketchbook. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff That might entail writing an improvisational score or drawing out movements. 'Sometimes it's just moving and letting the body do the work,' he said. Advice for artists : 'Pause and listen to what comes from the spirit,' he said, 'and trust its truth.' WE CREATE 2025: THE MOVEMENTS THAT FREE(D) US At Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley St., Roxbury, April 4 and 5. Presented by Danza Orgánica. Ananth Udupa rehearses an Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam at the Dance Complex. The working title of his original dance is the "Upanayana Project." Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Cate McQuaid can be reached at
Boston Globe
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘My body is my studio,' says choreographer Ilya Vidrin
'For 'Proxies,' I was thinking about the way in which data can be extracted from humans that makes people into numbers. We lose the humanity,' he said. Advertisement He'll be staging an Where to find him : Age : 36 Artistic director and choreographer Ilya Vidrin, right, rehearses "Proxies" with dancers in Harvard University's ArtLab in Allston. From left, the dancers are Hannah Franz, Raxel Kempenaar, Elizabeth Epsen, and Dara Capley. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Originally from : Boston Lives in : Brookline Studio : 'My body is my studio,' Vidrin said — and he has access to rehearsal spaces at Northeastern and Harvard. How he started : His father made frequent use of the family's Museum of Fine Arts membership. 'He would bring us to a painting, and he would say, 'What do you see?'' Vidrin said. 'Then he would bring us back the following week and he would say, 'What do you see now?'' The experience made him an artist. 'That act of inviting a second look, a third look, a fourth look. I think that's really what opened my eyes to paying attention,' he said. Dancers, from left, Raxel Kempenaar, Dara Capley, Elizabeth Epsen, and Hannah Franz rehearse "Proxies" in Harvard University's ArtLab in Allston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff What he makes : 'Proxies' opens with a continuous loop of responsiveness. Data from the wearable technology transmits a visual score. Musicians react in mood and tone, using motifs from Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony as a base for interpretation. The dancers, in turn, respond to the musical shifts and each other, and the data changes. Vidrin aims for 'sanctioned intimacy,' he said. 'Those moments you experience on a subway or in a restaurant where you see two people from across the room and you're like, 'Oh, I can almost feel your connection.'' Advertisement Artistic director and choreographer Ilya Vidrin rehearses "Proxies" with dancers in Harvard University's ArtLab in Allston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff How he works : Dance injuries happen when 'either you're doing the move wrong or you're not relating to your partner in the right way,' he said. 'Either you made a mistake on a physics/biomechanics level, or you made a mistake on an ethics level — you put too much care in your partner, so you lost your own base.' When choreographing, 'I say, 'How can you develop care and trust between each other?'' he said. 'We're going to practice this relationship so the audience can experience it as something real, as opposed to, 'OK, now pretend like you trust each other.'' Advice for artists : Don't filter yourself, 'especially at the beginning of a process,' Vidrin said. You're 'going to make mistakes either way. The more mistakes you can make, the more you can learn.' Artistic director and choreographer Ilya Vidrin poses, after rehearsing "Proxies" with dancers in Harvard University's ArtLab in Allston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff PROXIES: OPEN REHEARSAL At ArtLab, Harvard University, 140 N. Harvard St., Allston. Thursday, March 6, 2pm. RSVP requested. Cate McQuaid can be reached at
Boston Globe
11-02-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
‘We need to do better:' After delays, Rhode Island opens ECHO Village pallet shelters in Providence
'I've been out here for 15 minutes and I'm cold. Imagine sleeping in the cold,' said Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi. 'This is something to celebrate, but let's not lose sight that people are outside.' Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up Shekarchi recalled a homeless individual who slept outside in the Smith Hill neighborhood and allegedly froze to death last month, according to Shekarchi and service providers. He was 48. 'Everyone here: We need to do more, and we need to do better,' Shekarchi said. One of 45 single units at ECHO Village in Providence, Rhode Island's newly opened pallet shelter for individuals and couples who are homeless. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff ECHO Village, 45 small, one-room structures on a vacant plot of state-owned land on Victor Street behind the Foxy Lady, has been in the works since at least 2020. In that time, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island has more than doubled, from 1,104 people in 2020 to more than 2,400 people in 2024, according to 'This village is more than a roof. It's a path to dignity and change,' said The shelter will have around-the-clock services on-site from House of Hope, one of the state's leading providers of services for homeless people. As the pandemic began in 2020, Jaworski suggested using pallet shelters in a plan she called ' Advertisement The idea to use temporary, rapidly deployable pallet shelters to provide emergency winter housing has been in the works for the last several winters, but the state had failed to identify a location. In October 2022, advocates called on the state to place 30 of these tiny homes at the Pastore Complex in Cranston, but the idea faced swift In all, there were six attempts before the state-owned land was determined to be a viable solution last year. Yet the shelter still faced multiple delays. Despite growing public scrutiny and pressure from advocates, the state has had to address potential public safety concerns — such as building code and fire safety requirements — before opening the 70-square-foot sleeping units. During just With the units sitting vacant for months, the delays have been the subject of frustration among some elected officials. 'It's like you're on a boat, see people drowning, have space on the boat, and say 'I wish someone could help them,'' said Senator Jessica De La Cruz, a North Smithfield Republican. A restroom that is ADA compliant at ECHO Village in Providence. In addition to the 45 one-room units, the project also includes four office units; three hygiene units that include four full baths, and one staff bathroom; one laundry unit; and one large community unit. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff This is a large community unit. In addition to the 45 one-room units, the project also includes four office units; three hygiene units that include four full baths, one ADA-compliant bathroom, and one staff bathroom; one laundry unit; and one large community unit. The red tanks on the ceiling - 4 of 6 - are part of the fire-suppression system. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff In addition to the 45 one-room units, the project also includes four office units; three hygiene units that include four full baths, one ADA-compliant bathroom, and one staff bathroom; one laundry unit; and one large community unit. Each unit is equipped with fire suppression systems, smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, heating and cooling units, and fire-retardant paint. Advertisement House of Hope staff will provide on-site case management, housing and benefits application assistance, job training, and health-related services such as substance use recovery and mental health support. Amos House, a shelter and homeless services provider, will partner with House of Hope to provide daily meals to those on site. Individuals who will be staying in the units will be moving in on Wednesday. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley called on his counterparts throughout the state to 'step up.' 'It is our hope that this is the first, and not the last, ECHO Village in Rhode Island. It is our hope that this is the first, but not the last ECHO Village in Providence,' said Smiley. Under Governor Dan McKee's administration, the number of shelter beds for homeless individuals has increased from 800 to about 1,300. But homelessness has also increased, and more work needs to be done, he said. 'There are too many people in Rhode Island, and in the nation, that do not have a bed' to go home to, said McKee. Material from previous Globe articles was used in this report. Follow Alexa Gagosz on Bluesky at . Alexa Gagosz can be reached at
