BIGOTRY'S LOSS: The First Congregational Church of Webster Groves put this message up on their announcements sign to protest the appearance of members of the Westboro Baptist Church at Clayton High School: "Bigotry Wrapped in Prayer Is Still Bigotry."

And now a picture of the sign has -- as the saying goes --  "gone viral," with more than half a million views and nearly 500 comments on the Internet.

Greg Katski of Soulard, a spokesman for the church at 10 West Lockwood Avenue, said the Rev. Dave Denoon put up the message as part of a variety of counter-protest activities when five members of the anti-gay Westboro Church held a protest at the high school on Feb. 6.

On Feb. 8, a passerby took the photo and posted it on imgur.com, a photo-sharing site on the Internet, with the message: "Props to you, First Congregational Church."

Comments left on reddit.com, where comments can be made about pictures posted on imgur.com, have been mostly favorable and commend the church for its position.

Katski said Denoon is humble about the attention but pleased that the conversation around the issue has been mostly positive. He said that along with compliments from members of the congregation and residents of Webster, Denoon has gotten several calls and emails from other ministers in the area lauding him for the anti-bigotry message.