O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

The Fritsche Family

Serving the Lord in the Dominican Republic

San Mateo 5:2

Y abriendo su boca les
enseaba, diciendo:
Bienaventurados

And He opened His

mouth and taught them,
saying: Blessed are

Y abriendo su boca les enseaba

The Beatitudes from Matthew 5 is the appointed Gospel for the Feast of All
Saints. Recently we also celebrated the Festival of the Reformation, two backto-back feasts, really only a day apart on the Church calendar, but both with
much to remind us as the people of God. Whether were in the overseas
mission field or the mission field at home, we rejoice in a God who speaks His
blessed promise of life and salvation in a world set on a course of death.

Fun Facts about the DR

Can you speak only using your nose?
Dominicans are famous for their "nose
talk". A little twitch here and a little wrinkle
there. The nose knows.

Check out LCMS Missions in Latin

America and the Caribbean for regional
updates and The Fritsche Family: A La
Republica Dominica for weekly updates
on our family and our work in the
Dominican Republic.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches that there will be opposition to the Gospel. Its
a given. He told His disciples that the world would revile and persecute them on
account of Him. As it was for the disciples, so it was for Luther when He taught
the pure Gospel of justification by grace through faith. Even the Church
brought threats and persecution. And yet, in the midst of such evil there is
always blessing. Thats our Lords promise to His beloved saints!
When our Lord Jesus opens His mouth and speaks, there is blessing! This
holds true even when the circumstances would seem otherwise, whether it be
persecution, the threat of death, even death itself. Things like mourning or
meekness, especially seeking peace and reconciliation through the forgiveness
of sins, these things are perceived as weak in this world. But remember how
our Lord works? Things arent always what they seem. The Son of God is
hung on a cross. All seems lost. But in His death, there is victory. It is finished,
He cried. And that which we mourn, Jesus death, also brings us comfort.
Continued on next page

To subscribe to our newsletter send Joel an email at

Joel.Fritsche@lcmsintl.org.

 FRITSCHE FAMILY NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

The Gospel will always be reviled and opposed. Christians will always be persecuted and hated. We will be ridiculed as
we walk the way of the cross: poor in spirit, mourning over our sin, heads bowed in humility and meekness, showing
mercy, seeking peace and forgiveness, etc. But our Lord Jesus still opens His mouth to teach and utter His promises in
our hearing, ultimately the blessed promises of forgiveness, life and salvation. The kingdom of heaven is ours in Christ!
The Reformation satisfied a hunger and quenched a thirst for righteousness with the proclamation of Christs
righteousness. Here in the Dominican, as throughout the world, there is indeed a hunger and thirst for what, as Luther
reminded us, Holy Scripture and the Church has always taught. Its why we are here serving as missionaries. As we
show mercy to the weak and helpless, our Lords mercy abounds. Through the preaching, the teaching, and the faithful
administration of the Sacraments, the Lord Jesus still opens His mouth to bless us. Thank you for supporting our Lords
work here in the DR. You can be sure, according to His promise, that He will truly bless it!

Pastor Joel & Clarion Fritsche & Family

Mission Work Updates

Intensive Seminary Course
In early October we hosted Rev. Milton Hoffstetter from Concordia
Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina in our home. Rev. Hoffstetter
was here to teach an intensive seminary course on the history of
the early church. The sem students studied hard, enjoyed learning
new (old) things, and shared in worship and fellowship together.
We held the class at our church, but invited everyone to our house
for the last part of the class for a cook out. Joel enjoyed firing up
the grill and serving chicken, pork ribs, beef steaks and sausage.

Church Construction Updates

As we reported in a previous edition of our newsletter,
construction continues on our sanctuary at Amigos de Cristo
Lutheran Church. October was a big month for construction
updates. Just before our Reformation service, a ceramic tile
floor was laid, ceiling fans, updated lighting, security bars and
doors were installed, and we received a new baptismal font as
a gift from the members of our DR missionary team. Updates
will continue in the weeks and months ahead. Thank you
especially to Faith Community Lutheran Church in Las Vegas,
Nevada, one of our FORO partners) for such incredible support
to enable these updates to our facilities!

FORO Partnership Meeting

Speaking of the FORO, you may be wondering what
that is. A FORO, Spanish for forum, is a system of
support used for LCMS missions and sister churches
in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our DRLM
FORO meets twice a year, providing amazing
support and encouragement to our missionaries as
we go about the work the Lord has called us to do.
We just had our Fall FORO in nearby Boca Chica in
October. To learn more about the blessing of our
FOROs throughout our region, check out this video
http://video.lcms.org/archives/2893.
!2

FRITSCHE FAMILY NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

Reformation Festival
This year we celebrated the Reformation a couple of weeks early,
but it was a Sunday in which we were privileged to have mission
partners from the United States as well as all four mission
congregations come together. It had been two years since all four
congregations came together for such a celebration. Pastor Willy
preached on John 8:31-36. I had the joy of being celebrant for the
Divine Service. It was one of the most joyous days weve had in
our worship life in the DR since our arrival.

Family Updates

As the USA enjoys fall weather, things are still bright and sunny for the Fritsche family in the D.R. How richly we have
been blessed! The months of September, October, and November are big birthday months for our families, both
immediate and extended. We have really enjoyed celebrating another year of Gods blessings. These blessings include
wonderful care and support when Clarion broke her wrist. They also include very encouraging conferences with the boys
teachers. We received their first report cards and are very proud of them. We are thankful for the opportunities they have
at Cathedral International School. We are also thankful for the fun times we enjoy as a family around Santo Domingo. It
was very wonderful to spend time with other missionary families in Boca Chica during our fall FORO partner meeting.
The boys really enjoyed the camaraderie of other missionary kids and Clarion had a great time connecting with fellow
missionary moms while Joel was in meetings. Time is quickly marching on and we look forward to celebrating
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year here in the Dominican Republic. Joels parents will be coming for a visit in
December, a wonderful gift for the upcoming holiday season. Thanks again for your love and prayers! God bless you all!!!

Financial Support
To support our work financially, you may send a taxdeductible gift to either of the following:
The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod
P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861
Mission Central
40718 Highway E16, Mapleton, IA 51034
Make checks payable to The Lutheran ChurchMissouri
Synod. Mark checks Support of Joel & Clarion Fritsche.
Gifts can also be given securely online through the LCMS
website, on our online giving page at www.lcms.org/
fritsche or call 888-930-4438.

Prayer Support
Please pray

For Rev. James & Brittany

Baumgartner as they consider his call
to serve here in Santo Domingo.

For Clarion as she recovers from a

broken wrist.

For Deaconess Gail Ludvigson,

whose mother passed away.

For the father of Santa Gaspar

(Pastor Willies wife) who is
undergoing cancer treatments.

For our mission team in Mexico, soon

to be receiving the Rev. Dan Conrad
family, and we pray, soon after, the
Rev. Andrew Schlund family.

!3