Linda Stranksy, Marion, Virginia

Missionary Code: 803004

Church and Community Worker assignment: Director of New Ministries Development, Project Crossroads, Marion, VA, in the Holston Conference.

Born and raised in California, Linda’s journey to mission began in high school under the influence of Claremont Theological students who served as youth pastors in her church. “They were on fire for Christ” she says, and it set a spark in her heart that would later lead her into ordained ministry. Her call into ordination was a second career for Linda. She attended San Diego State University and earned her degree in psychology, and later received her license in vocational nursing from Shasta College in Redding, CA.

After many years of traveling throughout the United States, exposing her to different cultures and diverse ministries, Linda fulfilled her call into the ordained ministry by attending the Methodist Theological School in Ohio and earned her Master of Divinity. She has served two appointments in the California/Nevada Annual Conference and one in the Iowa Annual Conference. Linda looks forward to discovering how God wants to use her and husband Mark, also a Church and Community Worker, and how He wants them to grow during their time at Project Crossroads.

Linda will be tackling the job of developing new ministries in the counties Project Crossroads serves. She sees her role as more of an empowerer, helping the area churches and volunteer groups work together in providing helping ministries to the needy and disenfranchised. Linda believes strongly in the idea that God uses everything in life for good and that their life experiences have prepared them to be more compassionate and effective workers for God.

The parents of three adult children and three grandchildren, Linda and Mark share a love of adventure and the outdoors and enjoy camping, hiking and fishing.

“The servant model of Christ has always spoken most deeply to me and since high school, every time I read Matthew 25:31-46, it sends a quiver down my spine.”