By Beth A. Stockwell
Secretary, TWK Conference United Women in Faith
For Reverend Linda Furtado, the call to ministry is a melody played on many instruments. As a writer, musician, and provisional deacon in the United Methodist Church, her life is a vibrant expression of holistic discipleship—a journey dedicated to making the presence of God tangible in every facet of the human experience.
At the heart of Rev. Linda’s current ministry is her role as the author of “A Deep Knowing: Experiencing Emmanuel Through Every Part of Our Lives.” This eight-week Bible study, the official adult curriculum for United Women in Faith, was born from two years of prayerful collaboration with contributors Ellen Lipsey and Neomi Fletcher, along with editor Jay Godfrey, from UWFaith National Office.
“We had several specific scriptures to work from and over several sessions we reviewed text, resources, books, and articles,” Linda stated. “We played off of each other’s strengths.”
The study invites believers to move beyond a surface-level faith and experience “God with us” in the depths of daily life. This curriculum will take center stage at this year’s Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference Mission u, held June 25–27 at the Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, where Rev. Linda serves as the Director of Spirituality and Arts and will be the featured keynote speaker.
As a multifaceted artist, Linda reviews the pen and the prayer as inseparable tools for the Kin-dom. Her ministry is built on the belief that writing is a spiritual discipline capable of transforming both the leader and the community. Drawing from her Master’s degree in Arts in Christian Ministry, Rev. Linda translates high theology into actionable steps. Through her writing, she provides a practical roadmap for personal and communal transformation, ensuring that faith isn’t just felt, but lived abundantly.
For Rev. Linda, journaling is a deeply intentional practice. Over years of rhythmic reflection, she refined her personal prompts into the “Pray on Purpose: 31 Day Prayer Journal.” The book and related resources don’t just guide others; it serves as a living record of her own evolving faith journey. By returning to these prompts repeatedly, Linda finds fresh revelation that fuels her sermons and shapes liturgies, prayers, meeting agendas and more.
“Because of all of my journaling on the 31 days of prayer, I’d like to write separate books on each topic,” she noted, adding with a quip, “we’ll see how long it takes!”
“A lot of my writing comes from intentional journaling,” she stated, “and it’s a kick-starter to more public facing writing.”
Published in March 2025, “Jesus. Now What?: Living Your Faith Every Day,” is Linda’s 124-page soulful roadmap, which also includes the 31 days of prayer prompts she uses in her journaling, and dives into the “how-to” of spiritual growth. Her brother Rev. Victor Cyrus-Franklin in California used the book at his church, Holman United Methodist Church, during Lent, with Linda joining the congregation in weekly Zoom calls to help facilitate the study and interact with congregants.
Rev. Linda’s commitment to spiritual formation is presented in yet another work, “Be One of the Five™: A Holistic Path to Faithful Living.” This trademarked framework invites believers into a Christ-centered rhythm of life by focusing on five essential pillars: Body, Mind, Spirit, Self, and Others. Through the lens of five guiding principles, she integrates real-life stories with gentle spiritual practices. Each chapter provides actionable steps and soul-searching reflection prompts, empowering readers to move beyond a fragmented faith and into a life of intentional, holistic wholeness.
“The book embodies the reasoning behind the how and why of your personal prayer process,” she explained, elaborating that “everything I write seems to point back to these foundational words.”
In her role at the Scarritt-Bennett Center, an 11-acre non-profit conference, retreat, and educational center focused on racial justice, women’s empowerment, and spiritual enrichment, Rev. Linda serves as a vital bridge between the sacred and the community. Her ministry is defined by a unique ability to curate spaces where faith and creativity meet. She designs and directs a diverse array of soulful programming, including community concerts, poetry readings, seminars, and spiritual retreats. By recruiting local artists and fostering strategic community partnerships, she creates environments that offer both connection and spiritual renewal.
“These events keep me connected to the community and give me energy,” she shares.
Rev. Linda’s influence extends across the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference and beyond. A gifted worship leader, she steered the musical life of the 2024 SEJ Quadrennial Meeting in Chattanooga and the 2025 TWK Annual Meeting in Germantown, where she also grounded the delegates through daily morning prayers and guided meditations.
The United Women in Faith’s Leadership Development Days (LDD) event in 2020 was Rev. Linda’s introduction to what the organization was about she states. She was invited as a representative of the Annual Conference as she served as a lay delegate to General Conference at that time. The spirit-filled worship and networking opportunities introduced her, she says, to the “scope and diversity of the United Methodist Women.” Following this event, she was invited to adapt the 2020 Mission u youth curriculum to an online format due to Covid restrictions. This was the beginning of her journey as a writer and contributor to the work and ministry of UMW, now known as United Women in Faith.
Rev. Linda preaches on the fifth Sundays at Hilldale UMC in Clarksville, where her husband of 20 years, the Rev. Dr. Jefferson Furtado serves as the Senior Pastor. The couple has 3 daughters, ages 18, 16, and 12. As a Provisional Deacon, she is a commissioned clergy member in a mandatory three-year probationary period, serving under appointment while preparing for ordination as a deacon in full connection.
Beyond her physical presence, Rev. Linda also offers a digital sanctuary through her website, MinistersHelper.com. Here, she extends her reach globally, providing downloadable resources, inspiring videos, and access to her published books.
