James Mitchell Rice

james rice

June 17, 1935 ~ January 25, 2021

Dr. James M Rice Jr., pastor, author, husband and father, passed away on January 25, 2021. Born in Beckley, WV on June 17, 1935 to James M (Sr.) and Kathleen Bowling Rice. He spent his early years in Princeton and Logan, WV. He attended Davis & Elkins College (Elkins, WV) and later graduated from Morris Harvey College (Charleston, WV) in 1958 where he met his future wife, Virginia Ann Martin. In 1958 he entered Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA) and in 1961 was ordained into the ministry. He served pastorates in Castle Haine, NC and Bristol, TN before returning to Charleston, WV in 1970 to serve Presbyterian Evangelistic Fellowship (PEF). In 1978, he was called to the pulpit of Ingleside Presbyterian (Stone Mtn., GA) and completed his Doctorate of Ministry at Luther Rice Seminary in 1983 resulting in his first book “Time with Father: A guide to Devotional Life”, now in its fifth printing. He later served pastorates in Chattanooga, TN (Central Presbyterian) and Anderson, SC (Midway Presbyterian) and several interim pastorates up to and following his “retirement” in 2001. In 2012, he initiated service with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP). In 2014 he published his second book “Evangelism: Rediscovering the Church’s Lost Mission”. In 2018 he and his wife relocated to a retirement community in Sandy Springs, GA, where he ministered as a volunteer chaplain. He continued to be active with ARP through work with Erskine Seminary, small church consulting and evangelism focused writings until his passing.

During his 60-year ministry, “Dr. Mickey” was known for his dedication to the Spirit, ability to bring people together and tell a story that inspired others to serve God. Dr. Mickey had a deep love of God and an enduring belief in the power of Christ to bring renewal to people’s lives. He excelled as a Bible teacher and faithful mentor to many young ministers.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Virginia “Ginny” Rice and his six children, Susie (Rice) Perkins, Julie (Rice) Toney, Jennifer Rice, Scott Rice, Daniel Rice and David Rice; brother Richard E. Rice; sister, Martha R. Kerns; 11 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

A private memorial service in Atlanta will be planned for family in the coming weeks.

Memorial donations may be made to the following organizations:
Erskine Theological Seminary – seminary.erskine.edu
Columbia Theological Seminary – www.ctsnet.edu
Davis & Elkins College – www.dewv.edu
French Camp Academy – frenchcamp.org

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  1. George Ferguson (Tommy) says:

    Well done Good Faithful Servant, enter into your rest.

  2. Rick & Kari McAdow says:

    Dr. Mickey was not only a great Pastor, he and Ginny became dear Friends to us. We will always be grateful for how God used Dr. Mickey, especially, in our lives. He was a real blessing, and he will always be fondly remembered by our family!
    Thank you, Dr. Mickey for all that you gave to us and our 3 children–and to so many others!
    Mr & Mrs. Rick McAdow

  3. Bill Kierce says:

    I’m just now seeing this after searching online for Mickey’s whereabouts after many years. No wondering now where or how Mickey is! Saddened to know that I looked too late, but joyful to know that one day there will be unending fellowship. Mickey led me to Christ in 1975 and took me traveling with him during evangelistic work the following two summers. I became an evangelist and later a pastor for 23 years (apparently predestined to be a United Methodist). Though time and distance separated us through the years, Mickey Rice remains the reason I’m following Christ and leading others to Him. One day, we will sing praises to our God in that place where labels and denominational affiliations are a distant memory, Thank you, Mickey, for being God’s instrument in my life.

  4. Bobby Price says:

    I was sadden but also rejoicing that Pastor Mickey Rice had graduated to heaven to live with our loving
    Heavenly Father and His dear son our blessed Savior Jesus Christ. I met Pastor Mickey over a weekend in June 1969 at McClure Memorial Presbyterian Church in Castle Hayne, NC on a Lay Witness Mission. Our friend Don Evans, a lawyer from Rocky Mount, NC was the coordinator. That weekend totally changed my life and thank God, I have never been the same. I was a cynical, agnostic, a “so call” Christian in name only when I first met Pastor Mickey in a Saturday morning coffee small group. We were finishing up and Pastor Mickey was praying to dismiss, when he started praying in another language and then he spoke in English a message directly from God to me. He didn’t know me and had never met me before but God used him to speak things into my life about myself that no one else could have known. That night in a small group a couple of men were praying for me and another guy to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I saw a vision of God’s pure love for me and the whole world. I gave my life totally to Him and was filled with the Holy Spirit just like at Pentecost in Acts 2 with evidence of speaking in an unknown language. God sends many people to sow into our life over a lifetime and Pastor Mickey was one those main ones who did so. To the family I must say I will always be eternally grateful to your husband and father for his ministry.

  5. Cody U Watson says:

    I just learned from Tommy Ferguson that Mickey went to be with the Lord in January. I had been trying to call him. He was a great friend and a Barnabas in the Gospel. I hadn’t seen them since they moved from Anderson to Atlanta but had talked to him. His book was by my bed and had me trying to call him. I wonder how Jenny is and My condolences to Ginny and the rest of his family.

  6. Barbara Rutherford Akers says:

    Pastor Mickey made such an impression on me as a young girl. He was pastor at Rosemont Bristol then. His daughter Susie snd I spent lots of time together. I had him on my mind and started searching only to find my husband of 41 years joined him just three days after Pastor Mickey joined the heavenly angels. Prayers to the family! I will always cherish the time we had together. Until we meet again… God Bless!

  7. Eugene h. Eason says:

    I was sadden to here about pastor Micky i was a member at McClure Memorial Presbyterian Church when he came there he changed my life my brother became a minister while he was there and this morning my Brother ED Moore went to be with lord My heart is sadden for both of them.But we will see them again when we get to heaven


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