Known for her compassion and unwavering faith, Reverend Karen Raines is devoted to walking in the power of Jesus Christ. A humble servant of our Lord and Savior, with a heart for witnessing lives transformed, Reverend Raines is passionate about teaching and preaching salvation. Undergirded by her favorite scripture, Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” Reverend Raines leads worship services, preaches, and teaches with an impassioned spirit and deep faith at Olive Branch Community Church.

Reverend Raines accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior in July 1969 at a small church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Years later, she answered the call to ministry, delivering her first sermon on November 23, 2004, at New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore under the leadership of Bishop Walter Scott Thomas, Sr. While pursuing her studies at Howard University School of Divinity in 2014, Reverend Raines completed a pastoral internship at Greater Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church under the guidance of Reverend Dr. Reginald Thomas. She was ordained at Greater Gethsemane on September 29, 2019.

Before answering the call to ministry, Reverend Raines earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Baltimore in 2008. Graduating Magna Cum Laude, she was also a member of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology. Later, she received a Master of Divinity from the Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, DC, in 2014. In May 2024, Reverend Raines completed her postgraduate studies at Palmer Theological Seminary with a concentration in Contextualization Leadership. Her dissertation is titled,“Surviving the COVID-19 Era: Finding Hope During the Pandemic as an African Woman.”

Reverend Raines’ ministry reaches far beyond the walls of Olive Branch Community Church. She is deeply committed to her work in the Visitation Ministry, offering compassionate support to individuals in hospitals, nursing homes, and those receiving hospice care at home. Since 2014, she has served as a Pastoral Counselor Aide at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center. Her leadership extends to organizing and leading ministries, including the New Members Ministry, the Intercessory Prayer Ministry, and the Drug Addiction Ministry.

A Baltimore native, Reverend Raines was married to the late Gregory Raines for 35 years. Her family remains a cornerstone of her strength and faith. Now residing in Clarksville, Maryland, Reverend Raines credits God’s love and her family’s steadfast presence as instrumental in sustaining her ministry and fueling her passion to serve others.