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CLEARWATER (FBW)—Calvary Baptist Church, Clearwater, called William (Willy) Rice as pastor Aug. 15. Rice grew up in the 5,600-member congregation, and was called to preach, licensed and ordained there. He has served as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Pensacola, since 1997.
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Rice, a 40-year-old Tampa native, grew up in Pinellas County and graduated from Seminole High School. He graduated from Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., in 1985, and received the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1990 and 1996. During his college years, he served as a youth revival preacher with the Alabama Baptist Convention Evangelism Department.
Before his pastorate at Hillcrest, he served as pastor at Gladeview Baptist Church, Anniston, Ala., 1992-1997; Cypress Lake Baptist Church, Tampa, 1987-1992; and Bethel Baptist Church, Dora, Ala., 1984-1987. Cypress Lake Baptist was a mission of Calvary, Clearwater.
“We are convinced that God has been preparing Dr. Rice to serve here,” wrote Calvary’s Pastor Search Committee in a letter to the congregation on the day Rice visited in view of call. In the same letter, the committee listed his being “raised at Calvary” and his Southern Baptist education, along with his “love for Christ and His people, relationship with his family, compassion for the lost and strategic vision” as factors in its recommendation of Rice. The church voted to extend a call to Rice after the morning service Aug. 15.
Calvary’s long-time pastor William (Bill) Anderson, 1975-2002, led the church to license and ordain Rice.
Rice told Florida Baptist Witness he considers Anderson “my father in the ministry.” Although Rice says he looks forward to the future, he said, “It is an honor to follow his legacy.”
Rice will succeed former pastor Jerry Tidwell and interim pastor Ken Alford.
Rice has been married almost 20 years to the former Cheryl Baker, who also grew up at Calvary Baptist and graduated from Samford University. They have three children, Amanda Leigh, Anna Ruth and Stephen Benjamin.