UNSUNG HEROES 2023
temperatures fall below 29 degrees . Even as a member of CBF ’ s field personnel , Jasper felt called to do more . She subsequently earned her Master of Divinity degree from Baptist Seminary of Kentucky — concentrating in pastoral care and counseling — in order to be ordained in 2016 through Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Monticello .
Along with her network of partnerships , Jasper established her own nonprofit Olive Branch Ministries . She ’ s also pursuing her license as a counselor and would like to focus more on that aspect of her work in the future .
“ There ’ s no way that I could do this work without the help of wonderful volunteers and ministry partners ,” Jasper said . “ It ’ s life-giving for me . I meet such wonderful people . I ’ m not called to pastor a church ; I do preach when I ’ m invited but I ’ d much rather talk about ministry …
“ We all have a different calling ,” she continued . “ It ’ s a life-long transformation . I ’ m still being transformed in meeting my call for whatever the Lord has me to do .”
To learn more about Jasper ’ s work , visit olivebranchministriesky . org or the ministry ’ s Facebook page .
The schools are central to one of Jasper ’ s largest projects , known as Christmas Boxes for Appalachia , for which she receives support from partners in nine states . | Photos courtesy of Scarlette Jasper
young adults , survivors of domestic abuse and their families , a Hispanic ministry , an addiction treatment facility and homeless individuals .
“ The first year that I started this project , we did 75 ,” Jasper recalled . “ The goal was not to grow it to this astronomical but to really serve the people that get the boxes and really be in ministry with them .”
Eventually Jasper made the move from Somerset to Corbin , where she has established an office in the First
Baptist Church .
“ I don ’ t work for First Baptist Corbin ,” Jasper clarified . “ My title here is Missionary in Residence . I maintain a presence here because it ’ s very central to the area that I work in and First Baptist is one of my encourager churches , which means that we have a covenant to be in ministry together .”
She helps with the church ’ s White Flag Winter Relief Ministry — geared toward sheltering the homeless when
Jasper ’ s ministry has also grown to cover some 10 counties in southeastern and south-central Kentucky as well as east Tennessee .
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