Rev. Joel and Clarion Fritsche serve the Lord as career missionaries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the Dominican Republic. In this role, Joel plants new churches in this country. He forms and develops groups of believers into mature, self-sustaining and self-replicating congregations through Word and Sacrament ministry. Joel also serves as the director of Concordia Seminary and Mercy Center in Palmar Arriba (which is in the Santiago province of the Dominican Republic). As director, he teaches courses and helps prepare men to be pastors who proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this country and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Joel was born in Houston, Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Concordia University, Nebraska, Seward, and received his Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Before becoming a career missionary, he served as a pastor of congregations in Wyoming, Texas and Illinois. He also worked as an admissions counselor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

Clarion was born in Balboa, Panama City, Panama. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon. Before heading to the mission field, she taught at several Lutheran schools. Joel and Clarion have three beautiful children – Viktor, Sergei and Andrei – who join them on the mission field.