Dear Friends,
The heavens declare the glory of God. That’s what Psalm 19 says.
And so does every single human cell.
You may have seen the video popping up in social media this week. A decade ago, scientists created a “3D rendering of a eukaryotic cell, modeled using data from X-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance and cryo-electron microscopy.”
I’m not sure what that means. But here’s the image those scientists created. A look at all that is taking place inside a human cell.
The image, the scientists say, was created to show processes that occur in animal cells. “It is an attempt to recapitulate the myriad pathways involved in signal transduction, protein synthesis, endocytosis, vesicular transport, cell-cell adhesion, apoptosis, and other processes,” according to Gael McGill, one of the scientists involved in creating the image. “This rendering is also an attempt to visualize the great complexity and beauty of the cell’s molecular choreography.”
Recently, someone took the image, and presumably using AI, created a video version of the image, showing the cell in motion.
(https://us.list-manage.com/dKNIEbXpxSP?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf)
Here’s how one observer described what’s going on in the cell animation.
"This is a single human cell.
"The white tubes are microtubules. The colored beads are ribosomes. You have 37 trillion of these.
"Every cell in your body is a manufacturing plant running 24/7without supervision.
"Each ribosome (the colored beads) is assembling a protein right now. A single ribosome chains together about 20 amino acids per second. A typical mammalian cell contains millions of ribosomes. Every cell in your body is forming hundreds of millions of peptide bonds per second. Continuously.
"The white worm-like tubes are microtubules, the cell's internal highway system. Motor proteins called kinesin walk along them on two protein legs, carrying cargo from one end of the cell to the other at around 800 nanometers per second. Each cell has thousands of these tracks with thousands of motor proteins walking on them simultaneously.
"The blue mesh on the outside is the actin cortex. It holds the cell shape against pressure. It's also being torn down and rebuilt constantly. Every cell rewrites its own structural skeleton every few minutes.
"Now scale that.
"37 trillion cells. Each running millions of ribosomes. Each running hundreds of mitochondria producing ATP at roughly 100 million molecules per second. Your total daily ATP turnover is around your full body weight. You synthesize and consume your bodyweight in ATP every 24 hours.
"The DNA in a single cell stretches 2 meters uncoiled. End to end across all 37 trillion cells, that's enough to reach the sun and back 250 times.
"None of this is voluntary. None of it stops. It started when you were one cell and hasn't paused since."
As I read that description, I thought to myself “can that be true?” So I fed it all into an AI search engine and asked for an analysis.
Here’s the answer I got.
“Yes, the description is largely true—it's a popular science-style summary that captures the astonishing scale and nonstop activity inside your cells with only minor simplifications or approximations
“It's a great reminder of just how mind-bogglingly complex and industrious even a ‘simple’ human cell is. Your body is doing all of this right now, trillions of times over, while you read this. Pretty wild.”
Pretty wild, indeed. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
The same day I saw the video of the human cell online, I also came across this video, where British Physicist Brian Cox explains the size of the observable universe and the 30 sextillion stars in the night sky.
It’s worth the sixty seconds it will take you to watch it.
(https://us.list-manage.com/5JVjGgxDDZz?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf)
The complexity and the immensity of our universe – from the design of a human cell to the vastness of space – all bears witness to one reality.
There is a God. And He is greater than you can even imagine.
Over the next seven days, there is a movie that will be showing in selected local theaters (I know it will be at the Rave Theater by our church). It’s called The Story of Everything. I haven’t seen it, so I can’t vouch for everything in it. But based on the trailer, it looks like it will be worth seeing.
(https://us.list-manage.com/ogmPoA1Y5p6?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf)
It’s become common in our day to pit science against religion. One, people say, is based on facts. The other is based on faith. But that’s a false dichotomy. And it turns out, the more facts we find, the more the evidence points to our Creator.
The heavens – and the human body – declare the glory of God. All we have to do is look. And listen.
NXT GEN GATHERINGNxtGeners – your next get together happens this Saturday night at the Gurneys
BABY DEDICATION ON MOTHER'S DAYIf you have a son or daughter you’ve never formally dedicated to the Lord, please let Becky Perez or Jen Gurney know. We’d love to have you be included in our baby and child dedication service on Mother’s Day.
MEMBERSHIP CLASS COMING SOON
Would you like to know more about what’s involved in becoming a member of our church? On Friday night, May 22 and Saturday morning May 23, we’re hosting a Membership Class. It’s a chance for us to meet and explore together what it means to be a part of our church as a member.
Let us know if you’re interested in attending so we can know how much food to bring for dinner. Click here to register (https://us.list-manage.com/X2OupNoyxS7?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf).
Questions? Contact Pastor Matt at mattgurney.rcc@gmail.com (mailto:mattgurney.rcc@gmail.com).
LOVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT MARRIAGE CLASSCould your marriage use a tune up?
I’m guessing just about everyone could say yes to that question. That’s why this summer, we’re planning a 10 week class for couples, taking place on Sunday mornings before church. We’ll be going through the book and video series Love Like You Mean It, looking at the Bible’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 and seeing how it applies to your marriage.
Classes start on May 31. And as of now, there’s no child care available. If that changes, we’ll let you know.
To learn more about the class or to sign up, click here (https://us.list-manage.com/tX_ST7GgLGz?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf).
BACKYARD BIBLE CLUB FOR KIDSOur annual Backyard Bible Club for kids happens the first week in June this summer. It’s a great week where kids are able to learn, grow and have a ton of fun. This summer, it will be Christmas in June as the kids hear about why Jesus is the greatest gift God has given us.
Make sure this is on the calendar. And click here (https://us.list-manage.com/uaMsM1QQHbo?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf) to find out more or to register your kids.
BACKYARD BURGER BASHPlan to bring the whole family out back to the playground at church on Wednesday, June 3as we kick off summer with our annual Backyard Burger Bash, featuring Pastor Bob’s famous burgers. Food. Fellowship. Inflatables. And the best burgers in town!WOMEN'S 10:24 GROUPS THIS SUMMERLadies – make sure your summer plans include some informal time together with other women from our church. Learn more about what’s involved and how you can be part of our 10:24 Groups for women by clicking this link (https://us.list-manage.com/MKSB7ynlZHe?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf).STREET REACH IN MEMPHISOur Roots Students are headed to Memphis again this summer for our Street Reach outreach to kids in the Brady Heights neighborhood. Students and parents can find out more about the trip and register to take part in this special week. Just click here (https://us.list-manage.com/xs0kPqdsC0a?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf).RCC SUMMER CALENDARCheck out what we have planned for this summer, all in one location. You can scan our online calendar (https://us.list-manage.com/3WOlFe7QDj1?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf), which is up to date. Use the grid display or the list display. Or you can review, download or print the summer schedule here (https://us.list-manage.com/151IjFzxha9?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf).
READY FOR SUNDAY
Here is the preview (https://us.list-manage.com/13Tux6TKoiu?e=da31571acc&c2id=9646fad7312ad0e2da39a919ec1318cf) of the songs we’ll be singing together this weekend.
This is the last week for our Gospel Way Catechism Class.
The miracles Jesus performed during His ministry on earth were designed to demonstrate the reality of His identity as God incarnate. This Sunday, we’ll turn to Mark’s gospel to see a stark display of Jesus’ power over creation as He calms His disciples’ fears in the midst of a storm on the Sea of Galilee.
See you in church!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Bob
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