LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating May 4, 2014, as Pastor Appreciation
Day in the State of New York, in honor of Gateway World Christian
Center's contribution to the citizens of New York

WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center started as an auxiliary service
of a church in Elmont, New York, which primarily served the Indian
Christian community in the New York area in 2003; the idea was to
provide church services to the second generation immigrants from India
in a language that they could understand and appreciate; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Sunny Philip soon realized a need to open the
services to the community-at-large, thus inviting other immigrant commu-
nities in Elmont and surrounding areas to attend services; a simple
banner announcing services in English began to bring people from differ-
ent backgrounds to this service; soon the church started growing and now
has 14 different nationalities represented among its members; and
WHEREAS, The need for a unique identity was soon evident and the
service was registered as a new church with the name Gateway World
Christian Center in 2005; the name Gateway partially pays homage to
Elmont, where the church was birthed, as Elmont is known as "Gateway to
Long Island"; and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center is organized to serve as a
ministry to promote the spiritual, social and economic development of
the most vulnerable human beings from the child to the senior citizen in
the community by inculcating the children with basic principles of life,
as well as moral values in order to empower the youth with critical life
experiences; and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center also provides senior citizens
with information and resources regarding finding decent and affordable
places to live; and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center, a multicultural, interdenomi-
national, full Gospel church, was able to purchase its beautiful facili-
ties in 2008 in Valley Stream; the facility is also used by dozens of
small churches in the New York area to hold services, receptions and
weddings, and has truly become a community center; and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center is a growing and thriving
fellowship which serves people from many different backgrounds; everyone
is welcome in Gateway; it is truly a loving, caring community of faith;
and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center supports the communities' Pre
K children with their cultural adjustments, as they attempt to assim-
ilate into their new American environment and bi-lingual assistance is
made available; and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center administers to a dynamic youth
ministry, where guidance and counseling are provided, by a certified
Social Worker church member, with supervised meetings held weekly; the
objective of the program is to help to prevent and restrict any of the
negative influences of drugs, alcohol and street violence; and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center has a live 24/7 radio and
television ministry where they provide social services while spreading
the Gospel; Gateway World Christian Center has ministries in Haiti,
Zimbabwe and India where they conduct clothing drives for those affected
by natural disasters and for those in financial need; and
WHEREAS, Gateway World Christian Center has aligned with an accredited
academic institution, with under-graduate, graduate and post-graduate
curricula to provide continuing academic support, guidance and super-
vision to those interested; this gives the members of the church-commu-
nity, and interested members of the community-at-large, an opportunity

to achieve post high-school academic certificates and religious studies
degrees on the associate, bachelor, masters, and even to the doctoral
levels of competence; and
WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to recognize
those important days which remind us of the contributions made to our
great State and Nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate May 4, 2014, as Pastor Appreciation Day in the State of New
York, in honor of Gateway World Christian Center's contribution to the
citizens of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Gateway World Christian Center.