Clergy at St. Christopher's
The Reverend Jen Young Rice, Associate Rector
The Reverend Jen Young Rice
The Rev. Jen Young Rice was ordained to the priesthood in October 2024 and serves as Associate Rector at St. Christopher’s s Episcopal Church, focusing on youth and children’s faith formation, as well as pastoral care.
A graduate of The University of Alabama (2000), Jen earned a Master of Christian Education (2003) and a Master of Divinity (2004) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her ministry has included work with the International Sports Federation, coordinating sports mission teams for the International Mission Board, and serving on staff at The Church of Shelby Crossings in Birmingham, Alabama.
In 2006, Jen and her spouse, Shane Rice, moved to Milton to start a nonprofit that launched the “Backpacks for Kids” feeding program in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Once the program was well established, Feeding the Gulf Coast was able to secure grants to sustain its impact.
With a passion for education and spiritual formation, Jen became a certified Montessori guide and taught at the Montessori School of Pensacola from 2015-2020. She also served as a chaplain for Emerald Coast Hospice in 2023-2024 before completing a Certificate in Anglican Studies in 2024.
Jen and Shane are the parents of three children—Evangelin, Graham, and Beatrix. In their free time, they enjoy spending time together reading, playing basketball, listening to music and reading.
A graduate of The University of Alabama (2000), Jen earned a Master of Christian Education (2003) and a Master of Divinity (2004) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her ministry has included work with the International Sports Federation, coordinating sports mission teams for the International Mission Board, and serving on staff at The Church of Shelby Crossings in Birmingham, Alabama.
In 2006, Jen and her spouse, Shane Rice, moved to Milton to start a nonprofit that launched the “Backpacks for Kids” feeding program in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Once the program was well established, Feeding the Gulf Coast was able to secure grants to sustain its impact.
With a passion for education and spiritual formation, Jen became a certified Montessori guide and taught at the Montessori School of Pensacola from 2015-2020. She also served as a chaplain for Emerald Coast Hospice in 2023-2024 before completing a Certificate in Anglican Studies in 2024.
Jen and Shane are the parents of three children—Evangelin, Graham, and Beatrix. In their free time, they enjoy spending time together reading, playing basketball, listening to music and reading.
The Reverend Clelia Pinza-Garrity, LCSW
The Reverend Clelia Pinza-Garrity, LCSW
The Rev. Clelia Pinza-Garrity, LCSW was most recently the Associate for Community Engagement & Pastoral Care at St. Simon’s on the Sound Episcopal Church in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. Prior to that, Clelia served at Christ Church, St. Michaels Parish, MD; St. Paul’s, Delray Beach, FL; and Grace in the Desert Episcopal Church in Las Vegas, NV. Clelia is a native of New York City. She has a master’s degree in social work and was ordained by The Rt. Rev. Dan Edwards, bishop of Nevada, to the Sacred Order of Deacons on April 10, 2010.
Clelia is licensed as both a clinical social worker and a hospice chaplain. In the late 1970s Clelia was one of the founders of the hospice program in America. During the 1990s, Clelia worked with projects throughout the United States developing social service and medical treatment programs for people living with HIV/AIDS, and women and children who were victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking.
In 2007 Clelia moved to Nevada where she established the Nye County Child Advocacy Center, a program for children who have been emotionally or sexually abused. Clelia is also the founder of the Valley AIDS Council in Harlingen, TX; a medical and dental clinic for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Clelia worked in Haiti for 20 years, and more recently in Zambia for three years, coordinating the delivery of healthcare to men, women and children who live in remote, underserved areas. Clelia’s most recent initiative focuses on the Texas/Mexico border, leading teams to work in partnership with organizations throughout the borderlands area. She is also the Missioner for Global Mission Advocacy representing the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast on this national task force.
Clelia is a member of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast’s Commission on Ministry; the diocesan Commission on World Engagement and Mission; and she is the Diocesan Missioner for Global Refuge Ministries and the diocesan Global Mission Advocate. Clelia is a volunteer chaplain at Ft. Walton Beach Medical Center, and served in 2019-20 as an Honorary Commander in the Hurlburt Field Honorary Commander Program.
