Portlanders showed up Sunday, despite rain and the Super Bowl, to support the congregation of St. Peter's Catholic Church.

One week ago, churchgoers were yelled at by "street preachers" from Portland's controversial and aggressive group, the Bible Believers.

Last Sunday, Bible Believers were filmed shouting at congregants, "Jesus Christ is going to come back and judge every single one of you," and "You're not the true Christians."

St. Peter's is a Spanish-speaking church and some of the comments were also racist and slurs about immigration status, according to people who were present at the time.

Posted by Nelly Rodriguez on Sunday, January 29, 2017

Posted by Nelly Rodriguez on Sunday, January 29, 2017

Over the phone, one of the Bible Believers who was later punched at the Portland Airport, Grant Chisholm, said he and his group will continue to stand in front of churches on Sundays.

"We're preachers," he said. "We use horns. We yell."

In response, a community coalition joined together to support the church.

A press release sent out Sunday by Moviminento For La Paz read, "We have our faith and belief and Love Trumps Hate."

"Sunday, February 5, 2017, a coalition of Immigrant Protectors will join Hermandad Mexicana, Jobs With Justice, Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Portland Faith Communities and the Portland community at large to celebrate our Solidarity with St. Peter's Immigrant Parishioners in Prayers for Peace, Liberty and Justice for All humankind," it said.

On Sunday, The Portland Tribune reported that about 200 people showed up to support the church, forming a line to protect the congregants. Juan Mayoral, one of the organizers of the event, said over email Monday that he thinks at least 300 people showed up a half an hour before the Sunday Spanish mass and that that number grew to between 600 and 800 at around noon.

"The atmosphere was for me personally, something that I have never experienced before," Mayoral told us. "I have participated in many marches and protest before but this one -- this one you could feel the love and support for everyone that was there. People we loving and supportive -- labor, pro-immigration activists, church groups, anarchists, all different races and cultures!"

No members of the Bible Believers were present.

"We went because members of our community were being harassed and now more than ever we need to watch out for each other," Laura Herrera, a neighbor of the church who attended the rally on Sunday told us.

"It was so important," she added, "to send the message that love, acceptance and support will always be more powerful than bigotry and hate."

Around 200 people form barrier to shield Portland churchgoers from harassment 5 Gallery: Around 200 people form barrier to shield Portland churchgoers from harassment

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker