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Crosby Church hosts
  
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By JOSH HARDWICK
When the Rev. Keenan Smith became pastor of Crosby Church in 2003, he began looking for new and exciting ways to promote both his congregation and the community that helped found it.
It was from that search that the concept behind Extreme Machine was born: a yearly public event hosted by the church that combines everything from hotrods and motorcycles with rock climbing, racing and just about every other adrenaline-pumping activity in between into one family-friendly outing.
The sixth annual Extreme Machine was no exception. Thousands packed the church grounds Sunday, Oct. 26 to witness professional motocross stunts, mud bog racing and local firefighters in action.
The event is just another extension of Smith’s unique philosophy when it comes to promoting his church.
“We were always looking for something to draw people in that was away from the norm. I want to connect people to our church through whatever activities interest them,” he said.
This line of thinking was the inspiration behind Team Impact, an international ministry of professional athletes founded by Smith that travels the world performing feats of great strength and challenging audiences to live healthy lives and to follow their own dreams.
Most of all, however, Smith considers Extreme Machine just another opportunity to serve the community that supports him.
“We are a family oriented church and we want to host activities that entertain the entire family,” he said.
This year’s event featured stunts performed by a trio of professional motocross racers from South Africa, four-wheeler races through a series of muddy pits and equipment demonstrations put on by the Crosby Volunteer Fire Department.
Among the equipment on display was the prominent Tower 82, a ladder truck that is one of only five of its kind in the state. Tower 82 boasts a multi-flex extendable ladder and bucket that can reach elevations as high as 130 feet above ground level, making it one of the most versatile (and dizzying) ladder trucks of its kind.
Volunteer firefighters also enacted live demonstrations with the Jaws of Life, a pair of hyrdaulic cutters and spreaders capable of exerting over 20,000 psi of crushing force.
Onlookers watched as a crew used the heavy-duty cutting tools to pry the doors and roof from a wrecked vehicle.
“Most of the time when we do this kind of work there is a victim or patient trapped inside,” said Chris Reed, district captain with the Crosby VFD. “This guys our guys the opportunity to train with the equipment in an emergency situation and it also gives the public an idea of what exactly we do.”
Hundreds of attendees had their eyes directed upward later in the afternoon as professional skydivers Rich Delgado and Jim Twardowski jumped from a height of over 2,000.
The duo managed to navigate a safe landing onto a 50-square-foot patch of grass at the front of the church property, bordered on one side by power lines and groups of onlookers on the other.
“A small landing area is always a challenge,” said Delgado, who has made over 6,000 jumps with his partner. “Too short or too long and we’re in trouble.”
Dozens of auto enthusiasts also packed the church parking lot with their vintage hot rods and motorcycles, among them Phil Robinson from Porter. Like many others, Robinson thought the event the perfect venue to showcase his most prized possession.
He brought his yellow 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS to the event, a work of art that the home construction worker has invested over $125,000 into through various upgrades and restorations.
“I guess you could say it’s a hobby. You take a lot of the original stuff out and put hot rod stuff in there so you can tear it up,” he joked. “I build houses for a living but cars are my passion.”
For Scott Eldridge, however, classics are sacred. The proud owner of a black 1988 Chevrolet Corvette, Eldridge took great pains to preserve every original aspect of the car: from the paint job to the leather interior.
His prize sat among 300 other Corvettes on the deck of the U.S.S. Lexington last year and was also present for a ceremony at Ellington Airfield.
“I’ve wanted a Corvette since I was 16, and I’m hanging on to this one,” said Eldridge, who recently retired from ExxonMobil.
It was from that search that the concept behind Extreme Machine was born: a yearly public event hosted by the church that combines everything from hotrods and motorcycles with rock climbing, racing and just about every other adrenaline-pumping activity in between into one family-friendly outing.
The sixth annual Extreme Machine was no exception. Thousands packed the church grounds Sunday, Oct. 26 to witness professional motocross stunts, mud bog racing and local firefighters in action.
The event is just another extension of Smith’s unique philosophy when it comes to promoting his church.
“We were always looking for something to draw people in that was away from the norm. I want to connect people to our church through whatever activities interest them,” he said.
This line of thinking was the inspiration behind Team Impact, an international ministry of professional athletes founded by Smith that travels the world performing feats of great strength and challenging audiences to live healthy lives and to follow their own dreams.
Most of all, however, Smith considers Extreme Machine just another opportunity to serve the community that supports him.
“We are a family oriented church and we want to host activities that entertain the entire family,” he said.
This year’s event featured stunts performed by a trio of professional motocross racers from South Africa, four-wheeler races through a series of muddy pits and equipment demonstrations put on by the Crosby Volunteer Fire Department.
Among the equipment on display was the prominent Tower 82, a ladder truck that is one of only five of its kind in the state. Tower 82 boasts a multi-flex extendable ladder and bucket that can reach elevations as high as 130 feet above ground level, making it one of the most versatile (and dizzying) ladder trucks of its kind.
Volunteer firefighters also enacted live demonstrations with the Jaws of Life, a pair of hyrdaulic cutters and spreaders capable of exerting over 20,000 psi of crushing force.
Onlookers watched as a crew used the heavy-duty cutting tools to pry the doors and roof from a wrecked vehicle.
“Most of the time when we do this kind of work there is a victim or patient trapped inside,” said Chris Reed, district captain with the Crosby VFD. “This guys our guys the opportunity to train with the equipment in an emergency situation and it also gives the public an idea of what exactly we do.”
Hundreds of attendees had their eyes directed upward later in the afternoon as professional skydivers Rich Delgado and Jim Twardowski jumped from a height of over 2,000.
The duo managed to navigate a safe landing onto a 50-square-foot patch of grass at the front of the church property, bordered on one side by power lines and groups of onlookers on the other.
“A small landing area is always a challenge,” said Delgado, who has made over 6,000 jumps with his partner. “Too short or too long and we’re in trouble.”
Dozens of auto enthusiasts also packed the church parking lot with their vintage hot rods and motorcycles, among them Phil Robinson from Porter. Like many others, Robinson thought the event the perfect venue to showcase his most prized possession.
He brought his yellow 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS to the event, a work of art that the home construction worker has invested over $125,000 into through various upgrades and restorations.
“I guess you could say it’s a hobby. You take a lot of the original stuff out and put hot rod stuff in there so you can tear it up,” he joked. “I build houses for a living but cars are my passion.”
For Scott Eldridge, however, classics are sacred. The proud owner of a black 1988 Chevrolet Corvette, Eldridge took great pains to preserve every original aspect of the car: from the paint job to the leather interior.
His prize sat among 300 other Corvettes on the deck of the U.S.S. Lexington last year and was also present for a ceremony at Ellington Airfield.
“I’ve wanted a Corvette since I was 16, and I’m hanging on to this one,” said Eldridge, who recently retired from ExxonMobil.
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