Christ's Chapel, Tully NY

Our ministry began due to a growing need in the local area.  An increasing number of small congregations have lost their ability to keep going in these economic times, so Christ's Chapel was started in order to provide a place for anyone who wanted a new Church Home!

The founding pastor for our Chapel is the Reverend Doctor Karl R. Esmark.  Rev. Dr. Esmark graduated from Hope College in Michigan with a Bachelors in Arts and received his seminary degreee from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, NJ.  He has also received a Doctorate in Philosopy of education from Rutgers University. 

Jim was born and raised on Long Island where he lived with his wife Tish and raised their children, Travis, Jason and Michelle. Jim served 20 years as a Police Office for Nassau County Police Dept. During which time he performed varied duties including the Bureau of Special Operations where he worked in plain clothes and was part of the SWAT team.  Jim retired in 1992 and he and his wife moved to Sackets Harbor, went to work for US Customs and opening a B&B as a ministry to Pastors, missionaries and Christian workers.

After retirement and moving to Sackets Harbor he was first offered the opportunity to serve in a church by Rev Lynton Perry who brought Jim on staff as his assistant. It was in 1996, while he was serving in Watertown that he once again heard the clear voice of the Lord telling him that, “…it was time to stop running and do what I called you to do…”  Jim went to the Susquehanna Conference of the FMC and made himself available. By February 1997 Jim and Tish had sold their home in Sackets Harbor and relocated to the Cortland (Living Word) FMC where he served until retirement in July of 2010.

Retirement was not in the Lord’s plan for Jim as within 2 months of retiring from Cortland he was approached by Christ’s Chapel to assist them because their Pastor had a stroke. Over the next 7 years Jim continued to assist as needed in this small church and in 2017 was asked to take over the role of lead Pastor when the current Pastor had to step down following another stroke combined with a heart attack. Jim and Tish have been ministering at Christ’s Chapel since April 2018.

Jim & Tish know that serving the Lord can often be a roller coaster, but readily acknowledge that life is great and often refer to their lives together with the Lord as “Jim & Tish’s excellent adventure.”  Jim and Tish often wonder what is next but know that wherever they may be, God is not yet through with them.