EDGEWOOD, N.M. – Pastor Curt Miller says a church is supposed to be a family, and that’s exactly what East Mountain Cowboy Church has become over the past five years.

He says he can’t remember a time the Hares haven’t given back to the church. Now, it’s time for the rest of the members to return the favor.

Miller helped start East Mountain Cowboy Church five years ago, and hasn’t looked back. 

“We say that we’re the perfect church for those who aren’t, and we’re all train wrecks, you know,” said Curt Miller, senior pastor of East Mountain Cowboy Church. 

His weekly message mirrors a Western way of life with a “come as you are” message.

“We’re just real relational, I’m not your typical pastor, I’m more of a teacher and communicator,” said Miller. 

He’s been teaching and communicating with Terry and Jim Hare since the beginning. Jim has played a big role in the church’s annual Rodeos for Kids, and Terry volunteers in other ways.

“We’re five years old as a church, and they’ve been there – I can’t remember them not being there,” Miller said. 

Now it’s his turn to be there for them. He found out about their son, New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare’s death hours after it happened Friday.

“When I found out, I’ve got two daughters and grandkids and I thought ‘what would I do?’ And I just couldn’t put words to what I would do,” said Miller. “The only thing we could really do was as they asked us to – is to pray for them.”

Prayers have been coming from hundreds of people in the church community.

“We’ll walk the journey with them and be there to encourage them and help them, and you know, do what we can for them, and we’re gonna let them tell us,” Miller said. 

Miller says he only met Hare a few times, but his impression stuck.

“What happened to Justin, yeah it was criminal and yeah it was humane, but more than that it was just flat out evil. Just flat out evil what this guy did,” said Miller. 

Beyond the prayers, Miller has hope for Hare’s legacy. 

“The legacy of Justin is gonna live on because on that day he was the ultimate Good Samaritan. He really was,” Miller said. “The legacy of Justin will make change and make a difference not only in the law enforcement industry but in people’s lives.”

Miller says he’ll speak briefly at Hare’s funeral service, and the church community will be helping the family in any way it can over the next few weeks.