Staten Island, NY
(718) 966-4500
Pictured left: Rev. Dr. Michael Luciano. Senior Pastor.
In 1965, sixteen dedicated people joined Rev. Dr. Daniel Mercaldo and his wife, Evangeline, to establish an Interdenominational Bible Church in growing Staten Island, New York. The progress of these past 50 years is a testimony to the timeless truth, “Little is much when God is in it.”
In those early years, Gateway Church, was known as Calvary Temple, and temporarily worshiped in homes, a legion post, the basement of a bank, and a rented church building. In 1967, we purchased our first 1.2-acre site in the community of Oakwood. After nine years of planning, working, and praying, we finally had our first church home in 1974. After going through a major church-growth study, our name was changed to Gateway Cathedral. Within just a few years, we realized that the 200-seat Church Center was too small for our rapidly growing church family.
In 1978, we completed building a larger Worship Center seating about 400, which helped us continue to grow. When it seemed we had bought up all the available houses and land around the Oakwood church site, we decided to relocate. With God’s help, in 1989 we were able to purchase our present 17-acre site in Richmond Valley at an NYC auction. In 1993, we moved into our Family Life Center, with seating capacity of 700. In 1994 we founded Gateway Academy, and in 2003 an educational building for our growing school and Children’s Ministry.
These facilities are just an outward symbol of a growing church family that is sharing hope in Christ to our Region. From that small beginning to a church family of many hundreds, our mission of “Reaching Generations for Christ” motivates our vision into the future.
When Dr. Mercaldo stepped down from his role as Senior Pastor in 2015, Rev. Timothy Mercaldo was elected Lead Pastor, and served in that capacity for four years. In January 2020, Rev. Dr. Michael Luciano was elected Senior Pastor to lead us forward.