DENVER--The "Jews killed the Lord Jesus" sign in front of the Lovingway Pentecostal Church is down.

According to the Rocky Mountain News, Ami Ship, a mother of four, drove to the church to see the sign, knocked on the doors and called for someone to take it down. Then she decided to do it herself.

"I thought, ‘I don't want to see the sign anymore,'" Ship said. "Hateful messages like that promote anti-Semitism. It was very offensive." So she drove to a hardware store and bought a ladder.

About 200 people later marched outside the church in protest, including Promise Keepers founder Bill McCartney. They held signs that read, "God killed Jesus."

The first message was posted on the opening day for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," a film labeled anti-Semitic by some for its portrayal of Jewish leaders calling for the execution of Jesus.

Lovingway's pastor, Maurice Gordon, 73, said the sign was aimed at encouraging people to read the Bible.

"It would be hateful if it pointed at anybody alive today. But this has been part of the record of 2,000 years," he said.

"This anti-Semitic message is un-Christian, and it is a sin," said Michael Walker, senior pastor at Church in the City. "That is false Christianity on that sign."

Nate Hyatt, Gordon's grandson, said the sign reflected poor timing. "It's definitely not what we stand for," he said.

The United Pentecostal Church International, headquartered in Hazelwood, Mo., released a statement indicating their support for Jews and said they did not condone Gordon's action.

"We regret any offense his actions have caused," the statement said. "One of our constant prayers is to pray for Jerusalem and the Jewish people as the Lord has commanded us."