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芝市州府大樓將以7000萬賣給房地產開發商

伊利諾州州長普立茲克(Pritzker)日前宣布，將以7000萬元出售芝加哥市中心的州府大樓湯普森中心(James R. Thompson Center)給房地產開發商The Prime Group。州長辦公室說，這項協商已經進入最後階段，預計明年春天定案。成交後，州府計畫花費1億4800萬元，買回整修後約33%的空間作為州府職員辦公室。

州長辦公室表示，由於湯普森中心內部老舊，需要大裝修，因此賣掉後可以降低營運開銷。但賣出後州府仍要購買或租賃辦公室，因此計畫買回部分空間，可以在接下來的30年，每年為納稅人節省2000萬元。

整建後的湯普森中心有120萬平方呎，州府預計購買其中約42萬5000平方呎作為州府員工辦公室，以持續支援環區的經濟發展。

The Prime Group開發商的總裁瑞斯克基(Michael Reschke)說，湯普森中心的整建構想是安裝玻璃護牆來隔開辦公室樓層和挑高的中庭，以解決大樓內多年來冷熱空調和噪音的問題。他還說，這個中庭將來會通到辦公大樓，是全美前所未見的巨大出入口。

瑞斯克基說，整建後的大樓除了有辦公室和零售商店以外，上方樓層還可能進駐旅館，他提到，州府原本估算升級該大樓的費用為3億2500萬元，但他預計投下2億8000萬經費，估計兩年完工。

整修期間，大樓內的芝加哥捷運局(CTA)的Clark/Lake車站仍開放營運，州府職員會則暫時在上方樓層辦公，等下方樓層整修完畢後再遷移。

另方面儘管疫情讓許多民眾居家上班，但瑞斯克基預測湯普森中心因距離市府、法院和其他政府辦公大樓很近，將來對律師事務所和其他公司仍有相當吸引力。

這座17層的後現代風大樓由著名建築師雅恩(Helmut Jahn)設計，1985年落成開放。普立茲克說開發商會保存大部分的建築，因此該提案獲得Landmarks Illinois等團體的支持。

Starting from small

Do you feel what you are doing is so small that no one pays any attention?

Do you know that God grows a tiny acorn to be a solid oak in His time?

Nothing can become big without first being small.

Nothing God calls us to do is servile.

No mistakes can override my identity in Jesus Christ as His protected, justified saint.

No devil’s attack can overpower God’s grace in me.

May we surrender ourselves to His loving mighty hand as His servants of righteousness, so that He will bring us deeper into true holiness (Romans 6:19).

“I love you, Lord. You are my strength. The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Savior. My God is my Rock, in whom I find protection. He is my Shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” Psalm 18:1-2 NLT

Be healed

What is your memorable Christmas gift?

Have you ever recalled clearly about the giver because you love that gift so much?

Jesus Christ is the best Gift for you when you know your spirit has been healed so that you are enabled to hear His loving voice.

Today, thank Him for His wonderful gift of healing your soul and remember Him, the Giver, who has been so good to you even before you knew Him and continuing to reveal His love to you.

“God spoke the words ‘Be healed,’ and we were healed, delivered from death’s door.” Psalm 107:20 TPT

I am free from devil’s condemning charges against me. (Romans 8:31)

Must win

Dear saints,

You are not alone to fight in the spiritual battles because God will send His troops to fight alongside with you.

Thank God for all the praying warriors who know what true love is in Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for them so that they wholeheartedly imitate Him to love others in need.

And we must win because God promises that the devil shall fall before us by the sword of His word through prayer.

Jesus Christ was not just born to be our Savior but was resurrected to overcome the world.

Therefore, all who trust in Him must win.

“Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.” Leviticus 26:8 WEB

Free forever

You are free forever from condemnation.

Not because of your perfect obedience to the laws, but because of Jesus Christ’s perfect obedience to the Father God.

He has come to overcome the world and taken captive of the slaves of sins to become His godly servants who belong to His family forever.

“Through Him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39 NIV)

Perfect gift

The perfect peace in Jesus Christ is called shalom in Hebrew, which means a harmony or reconciliation of relationship based upon the completion of the payment of a debt. It’s the word used in “peace offering” where blood was shed as an atonement for sins.

God’s shalom has been granted to the world through Jesus Christ.

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Isaiah 55:1)

How generous our Father God is. He invites you to come to buy and eat without money and without cost because Jesus Christ has paid that gift card for you.

But if you don’t redeem this gift card of gospel ready for you, the gift card does not benefit you at all.

Today, tell Jesus Christ that you want to believe in Him as your Savior and the Lord, then you will receive His perfect peace as the best Christmas gift delivered to your heart.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 ESV

True peace

Is there a turmoil in your heart when the future is uncertain?

Are you seeking to settle down in peaceful calmness when the world is chaotic?

God knows our thoughts and wants to give us true peace in Jesus Christ.

This peace of God will never be shaken by physical reality because God is unshakeable.

Today, come to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, who is your absolute stronghold against any hopeless fear.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.” John 14:27 CSB

My glory comes from God

May God bless you who come to Jesus Christ to rest in the true peace in Him. May God lift up your head from the depression of darkness and see His glory. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

“But You, O Lord, are a shield around me. You are my glory, the One who holds my head high.” Psalm 3:3

芝槍殺華人謝煥新兇嫌開審法官不准保釋

於芝城華埠開槍殺害謝煥新(Woom Sing Tse)的23歲兇嫌喬伊納(Alfonso Joyner)，9日在庫克郡法庭過堂，被控一級謀殺等三項重罪，法官裁定喬伊納不准保釋。

被警方逮捕後就行使緘默權，拒絕回答相關犯罪行為的喬伊納，其起訴罪名包括一級謀殺罪、非法使用槍械(Aggravated unlawful use of weapon)、持有已撤銷槍械證件(Revoked Firearm Owner Identification card)。

芝加哥警探長迪尼翰(Brendan Deenihan)說，根據監視畫面顯示，喬伊納從車裡開槍打中謝煥新後，還下車走近已倒在人行道上的謝煥新，再朝他連開多槍，然後駕車逃逸。

第九警分局局長傑洛米(Don Jerome)說，華埠社群有堅實的聯絡網，在事件發生後幾分鐘內，芝城華埠治安互助隊(Chinatown Community Watch)就立刻向他提供了從監視器拍到的兇嫌和車輛牌照號碼，讓警方很快就在傑克森大道靠近甘迺迪高速路附近逮捕了喬伊納。

華埠更好團結聯盟(Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community)執行主任陳本恩8日在芝加哥警局舉行的案情説明會中說，華埠最關切的事情就是治安，社區民眾希望類似悲劇勿再重演。

根據芝加哥警察局資料，負責華埠和橋港區(Bridgeport)部分地區的九分局，今年累計至少發生七件槍擊案，其中兩件涉及搶劫，謝煥新是該警局轄區內今年發生的第一宗謀殺槍擊。該警局記錄去年有五宗槍擊致死案件，為1991年來最高紀錄。

迪尼翰還提到，芝加哥北邊(North Side)警局目前也在調查喬伊納是否涉及2018年在羅傑斯公園(Rogers Park)發生的兩起謀殺事件。

Let go of self

Dear child,

Are you afraid to let go of my hand to allow you freely to ice skate?

I had been holding your hands when you were a beginner.

But now, I let go of your hands for training your muscles to balance.

Likewise, do not fear to let go of yourself but surrender yourself to God.

God is giving you freedom to pray and make decisions for training your muscle of faith and teaching you to discern His voice.

As a result, you will cultivate a closer relationship with the loving God, instead of holding tight on religious rules.

Moreover, even though you do your best but may still stumble, God’s invisible mighty hands are always underneath to lift you up because He has engraved you on the palms of His hands and will never forsake you.

“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:16 ESV