JACKSONVILLE — Either you have it or you don’t.

It’s that simple when it comes to making visitors feel welcome when they step on church property for the first time.

While most churches realize the importance of making a good first impression, several are going the extra mile to stick out in the minds of visitors who often visit many churches before joining one.

Gayle Reid wants her church to be that one church which turns visitors into members via an orchestrated effort to make visitors know their search for a church home has come to an end.

Reid, coordinator of lay ministries at St. Paul United Methodist Church here, said her church being recognized by the national Igniting Ministry office as a Certified Welcoming Congregation for the second year in a row means the church has cultivated hospitality skills to not only get visitors to the church, but to convert them to active members of the church family. The church will also be featured on the national Igniting Ministry Web site throughout May.

Igniting Ministry is the denomination’s four-year media campaign, which began in 2001. It provides a tool for churches to improve their visibility in their communities and strengthen their hospitality and disciple making ministries.

Reid focused on using Igniting Ministry as a way of strengthening her church’s welcoming and marketing skills.

It all began for the church when it started its Share Jesus Campaign in 1998. While updating church brochures, members decided to go one step further and intentionally produce brochures welcoming visitors.

Since the church is about 45 years old, Reid said many of its members tend to be older and knew they wanted to do something targeting young families.

One idea they adopted is EvangEvents, which began in 1999. Through EvangEvents, the church holds periodic events to reach out to young families in the community. Members create a carnival-like atmosphere of bright blue, green, red and yellow flags billowing in the wind to direct residents to the church where they feast on hotdogs and chips.

In addition to the special events Reid realizes nothing replaces the importance of making visitors feel welcome when they arrive for Sunday morning worship services.

“We have about four to six greeters who welcome people,” Reid said. “I think studies have shown that people make up their minds in the first few seconds, so I think recognizing them fast is very important.”

The Rev. Annette Pendergrass, pastor of the 1,000-member church, which averages about 500 in worship, agrees. “I think it’s some amazing number that people get lasting impressions in the first few minutes. I think it makes a big difference,” Pendergrass said.

Once visitors leave the church the church doesn’t lose contact with them. The gardening ministry takes over, attempting to nourish the seed until it blossoms into a new church member.

The welcoming committee then makes sure all new members receive a basket, which includes tithing envelopes, a church directory, tea and a free coupon to the church’s weekly dinner.

Pendergrass said it’s exciting for the church to be actively seeking new members and receiving the designation from Igniting Ministry because it reminds members what they should be doing to make visitors feel comfortable.

“I’m very pleased with what we’ve been doing,” Pendergrass said.