Life is too short for long-faced religion.
We believe God speaks new meanings for new days, and that She does so not only in the church and the ancient words of the Bible, but through the insights of science, the arts, the revelations of other religions, and the best strivings of the human spirit. We believe God has granted us a purpose, and that life is too short for long-faced religion.
Seek
No matter what your spirit is seeking, there’s a good chance that Sunday worship, the centerpiece of PCM’s life together, will help you find what you’re looking for. Silence and Scripture, prayer and Communion, devotion and challenge, generosity and connection are all there. You can make music, appreciate music, feed others, be fed, lead others, be led, create light, be enlightened, all in the sweet embrace of the Holy Spirit. Join us for pickup choir (with breakfast) at 10am, worship at 11, and a light lunch at noon.
If that doesn’t do it, join us at our weekly Bible study, Tuesdays at 5pm, where we dive deeper into the texts that (in)form us. If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, keep an eye out for other faith-deepening and study options.
Serve
Because Jesus served us, we serve the world. Every week, our service starts by praying for one another and for the world in worship. Then we take an offering for a worthy mission, cause, or charity; 100% goes out the door. Then, at least once a month, we head off campus to do service in the community. Every year since the 1940s, we have sent a team out into the world on a mission trip. We will again this year!
Grow
We’re trying to grow as people and as Christians: grow deeper in our spirits, grow more Christlike in our actions. We do this through worship, through study, through action, through interaction, and through service.
Love
God loves us, so we try to love: love God back, love ourselves, love each other, love the world, love our enemies. In fact, just about everything we do is, one way or another, training to help us love harder and stronger.
Meet The Team
The Protestant Cooperative Ministry encourages the members of the Cornell community to seek God’s transforming power and struggle with the dynamic tensions of a life of Christian faith.
Quinn has served as Chaplain of PCM since 2022. Ordained in the United Church of Christ, he has served churches in Boston, MA and Syracuse, NY. He graduated from Cornell with a BS in Natural Resources in 1999, and Union Theological Seminary with an MDiv in 2003. He takes as a model for his ministry the Magnificat, the mighty song of revolution that Mary sings about Jesus’ impending birth. He takes the first line, “My soul magnifies the Lord,” as the watchword of his ministry, seeking to make God easier to see in the world and longing to participate with God in the upending of the world that is promised in Jesus.
He is the Convener of the Stillspeaking Writers’ Group of the United Church of Christ and an author for that group’s Daily Devotional. He’s the author of the Advent devotional book “All I Really Want: Readings for a Modern Christmas” and co-editor of “The Unofficial Handbook of the United Church of Christ.”
He lives with his husband and two sons out in the country on a hobby farm, where they (mostly the husband!) raise heritage breed ducks, geese, and goats.
Valerie McAllister is PCM’s Administrative Assistant. Passionate about supporting PCM’s mission and focus on spiritual growth, inclusion and social justice, she brings a host of experience including bookkeeping, administrative support, program coordination, advocacy, and academic development to the team. Valerie holds a MS in Criminology from Saint Joseph’s University and a BA in Sociology from Le Moyne College.
Maintaining a deep connection to nature through meditation, hiking, gardening and a monthly polar plunge into Cayuga lake, Valerie’s free time is embodied in outdoor adventures and delightful heartfelt moments shared with her three amazing children! Seeking to carry forward the depth of guidance and assurance that spirituality offers, Valerie has found the value of faith through trials and tribulation and cherishes the ability to bring this hope to her community.
Originally from Taiwan, Yen-Hsiang Nieh received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, and a Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting from Fu Jen Catholic University.
Currently, Dr. Nieh serves as the assistant director of choral music at Cornell University. He is the conductor of Cornell Chorale and assistant director of Cornell University Chorus and Glee Club. Also, he is the Choral Conductor of the Protestant Cooperative Ministry at Cornell. Additionally, Dr. Nieh was the first artistic director of the TMC Culture & Arts Foundation (Taipei Male Choir, Taipei Youth Choir, Taipei Sängerknaben, Taipei Elegant-Song Choir, Taipei Male Singers, TMC Shanghai Chamber Choir, Taipei Female Choir) in Taiwan from 2015 to 2017. After beginning his studies in the United States in 2017, he continued to serve on the board of directors of this foundation. Nieh’s composition, Ave Maria (2010), was chosen as one of the compulsory pieces for the 2019-2021 Taipei International Choir Competition. Recently, his arrangement Cina (2019) was one of the winners of the 2022 Western Regional ACDA “Call for Scores.”
He is the recipient of many international awards and recognitions for his compositions and conducting. You can see a full list here: https://music.cornell.edu/yen-hsiang-nieh
Gabriel is a sophomore majoring in computer science and mathematics, and minoring in music. Having taken piano classes with Prof. Xak Bjerken, Prof. Vera Hsu, Prof. Miri Yampolsky, and Dr. Mary Wu, he has played recitals in Barnes Hall near the end of every semester. Gabriel began playing the piano at the age of three; since then he has developed a profound love for classical music. He particularly loves listening to emotionally intense and technically demanding pieces, and enjoys playing works by Romantic composers such as Chopin and Rachmaninoff.
Gabriel has served as the accompanist of PCM since 2024, accompanying the choir and choosing different preludes and postludes every Sunday. Outside of PCM, Gabriel is in a piano trio, where he plays with a violinist and a cellist. He has accompanied singers in the Cornell Voice Program in their studio classes and semester-end recitals. He is also a member of the Cornell Piano Society, and occasionally participates in recitals organized by the society.
Gabriel’s interests include hiking and traveling to different countries. His favorite continent is Europe, and he has spent a month traveling around Germany.
Sema is from from the beautiful village of Alofau in American Samoa, is a sophomore in CALS studying Agricultural Sciences, with a concentration in Sustainable Cropping Systems Management and minoring in AIIS. He joined PCM in Fall 2023 and is now a member of the PCM Board. He enjoys spending time with friends, family, and meeting new people. There’s a high chance you’ll find him wandering the botanical gardens and around Beebe Lake, or at Bradfield Hall (he calls it the “Red Keep”). His time at Cornell has developed his particular love of apple cider donuts and the Cornell Dairy Bar’s ice creams (especially the Clocktower Pumpkin flavor).
Caleb is originally from West Texas. He’s a Junior studying biology in the Ag School. When he’s not leading worship with PCM, you can usually find him in the lab, studying in Mann Library, or helping lead Haven, Cornell’s LGBTQ student union.
Alicia is a Junior in CALS studying soil science through Interdisciplinary Studies. When they’re not in PCM Bible study, you can usually find them baking, playing trivia, or singing with their a capella group, The Chordials.
Our Supporting Churches
People of any religious identity—or no religious identity—are welcome to join us. We are supported, sent, and flavored by The American Baptist Churches USA, The Presbyterian Church (USA), The United Church of Christ, and The United Methodist Church.
We’re especially cared for by First Baptist Church of Ithaca, First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca, First Congregational Church of Ithaca, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, and Forest Home Chapel, and our governing board is made up of members of these congregations.
