Mercy is a core teaching of Christianity. Encouraging parishioners to have mercy on the downtrodden is a pretty common thing in church. At least it is in the churches I have attended over the years.

Haven't been in a church in a long time, though I did end up attending a service a few years ago (not a church...it was a bigger event). The subject was mostly obedience, devotion to god (above all things), and "we are in the final days" (which they've been saying for decades). Not so much about mercy or compassion, though they did make a point about not getting involved in violence.

Before that, when I was a kid, it was more "if you're a sinner, you'll sit for all eternity in a fiery pit...burning". Again, not much talk about compassion or mercy (in fact, not much mercy to be had...be "good" or burn).

Granted, small sample size. But I have read the bible, and it's full of wrath and intolerance and mayhem. The Sermon on the Mount is probably the nicest bit of the entire 66 books (depending on which version of bible you have).