In the early 1970s, when a student gave Rev. Dr. Howard Rice a copy of Morton T. Kelsey's The Other Side of Silence, he realized he needed to feed not only his mind, but also his soul. By the mid-1970s, Rice recruited other pastors and scholars in the Bay Area to organize spiritual retreats for local pastors. For the next 20 years he helped Presbyterians and other Protestants discover spirituality within the Protestant-Reformed tradition. An expert in Presbyterian polity, Rice was elected moderator of the 191st General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. in 1979. During his year as moderator, he organized three spirituality retreats for delegates from presbyteries throughout the country.

Rice also played a significant role in developing San Francisco Theological Seminary's pioneering program in spirituality. This led to the creation of the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction and the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Formation programs, which in turn has prepared a cadre of spiritual directors within the Reformed tradition.