Simon Barrow

1 month ago | redbrickblog.co.uk | Simon Barrow

The concept of the 15-Minute City is an urban planning model where residents can access the majority of their daily necessities such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transit trip from their homes. This design approach aims to reduce dependence on automobiles, fostering healthier, more sustainable lifestyles and improving the overall wellbeing and quality of life for city residents.

2 months ago | redbrickblog.co.uk | Simon Barrow

A Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is an urban planning approach that focuses on creating high-density, mixed-use communities centred around public transit hubs. At its core, TOD integrates transport infrastructure, such as rail, bus, or metro stations, with surrounding land use to create accessible, liveable communities that are well-connected by public transit and complemented by high-quality public spaces.

2 months ago | ekklesia.co.uk | Simon Barrow

Luke 2: 22-40, Hebrews 2: 14-18, Malachi 3: 1-4Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, just and devout… and the Holy Spirit rested upon him (Luke 2: 25). ACCORDING TO TRADITIONS that go back to the fourth and fifth centuries in the Eastern church, it is the festival of Candlemas – marking the formal presentation of the new-born Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem – which finally brings the Christmas season to an end [1], following the sequence set out in chapter two of Luke’s Gospel.

Dec 24, 2024 | ekklesia.co.uk | Simon Barrow

Isaiah 9.2-7; Psalm 96; Luke 2. 1-14“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9. 2a)… “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth” (Luke 2.7). WHAT DOES Christmas mean for you? We will each have our own personal answer to that. For some it means a good deal. For others, a bit of a break – if they’re lucky – and not a huge amount more. For many it is an occasion of family gathering and joy. For others it is a time marked by loneliness or loss.

Dec 21, 2024 | ekklesia.co.uk | Simon Barrow

Hebrews 7: 23-28; Mark 10: 46-52“[Christ] has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.” – Hebrews 7: 27. SOME YEARS AGO I was involved in a fascinating word-association exercise. The aim was to find out what a reasonable cross-section of people instinctively thought about a range of topics.