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Photo by Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times

A woman has heated words with Scott Heldreth, whose preaching on the Virginia Tech campus Wednesday prompted a scuffle and a police response.

BLACKSBURG -- Religious missionaries, from the unknown to big-name evangelists, fanned out across the Virginia Tech campus Tuesday to comfort and to try to convert the grieved, and one group with an in-your-face style nearly incited violence.

It was a piece of the response that's playing out at Tech in the aftermath of Monday's massacre as religion mixes with a devastated community.

Major respected national figures such as preacher Franklin Graham visited campus Wednesday along with lesser-known groups such as the Pittsburgh chapter of Youth with a Mission. Its members circulated quietly among students, offering hugs, prayers and brochures.

But a group of ministers from North Carolina preaching under the banner of the evangelical Operation Save America set up a public address system on Tech's Drillfield. Then minister Scott Heldreth began preaching about the love of Jesus, "repenting of sin" and getting "right with the sovereign word."

Many students and residents were gathered nearby at memorials to the victims of Monday's shootings. Some were offended by Heldreth's sermon and confronted him. Three times angry people disconnected Heldreth's speakers, the last time resulting in a scuffle and damage to the PA system. Police responded, and the PA was later cut off.

Heldreth said, "We've never been in such a hostile environment."

Marilyn Lerch, pastor of Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren and a campus minister, said she'd heard outside groups were coming to town in the wake of the tragedy. Most have good intentions, she said.

"But to be using this as a time to scare people about the wrath of God or to suggest that God has a particular agenda and 'they better get with it' is inappropriate," Lerch said.

Hilda Page from White Stone liked their message, however, and thanked the North Carolina ministers. "The devil is behind all this," she said.

Campus ministers representing various faiths and Christian denominations were gathered nearby at Tech's Memorial Chapel, discussing plans for ecumenical religious services and pastoral counseling for students. Many students came and went, each receiving a pamphlet including prayers from more than a dozen religious traditions, including Islam and Baha'i.

The Youth with a Mission missionaries -- from Pennsylvania, New York, Missouri, Guatemala and Peru -- came "just to pray with people if they want it," said Maria Gravante, a group member. "We don't want to force anything on anyone. We just want to show them God's love."

Other religious folk said they were simply moved to come to campus without backing from any group. Dentis Shaw drove from his home in Charlotte, N.C., right after burying Wanda, his wife of 20 years just days ago. He said he felt called by God to be with Tech students. "I came to hurt with them, and to love on them," he said.

Campus ministers said they are making plans for how they will respond if the Rev. Fred Phelps, who is known for picketing against homosexuality at the funerals of AIDS victims and military dead, comes to town. Phelps' Web site mentions picketing funerals of the Tech victims.

In response, state Attorney General Bob McDonnell's office issued a statement warning that those who willfully disrupt funerals in Virginia can face charges.