Nelson Litwiller (16 February 1898-18 November 1986) was a leader in Mennonite mission in Latin America (1925-67), and in retirement was active in itinerant ministries in North America and overseas. In his later years, he was especially active within the Mennonite renewal and ecumenical charismatic movements. Born in St. Agatha, ON, he and his wife, Ada Ramseyer Litwiller, studied at Bethany Bible Training School (Church of the Brethren) in Chicago (1919- 24), followed by a year at Goshen College where Nelson received Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity degrees. He was ordained in 1925 at College Mennonite Church in Goshen by Bishop David A. Yoder. He and Ada served with Mennonite Board of Missions (MC), Elkhart, IN, in Argentina for 31 years (1925-56). He was named bishop in 1947. In Montevideo, Uruguay, he became founding president of Seminario Evangélico Menonita de Teología (1956-67), serving additionally as mission field secretary for all of Latin America. In 1968 the Litwillers moved to Goshen, IN. In 1970, at a point of deep searching, Nelson experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit in a Roman Catholic charismatic prayer meeting at nearby South Bend, IN. For the rest of his lifetime, expressed as "revitalized retirement," he promoted unity within the body of Christ, serving as a bridge between traditional church leaders and those in charismatic circles. In 1975 he helped start Mennonite Renewal Services (MRS), the charismatic arm of the Mennonite church. He died of cancer, 18 November 1986, in Goshen and was buried at the St. Agatha Mennonite Church. The couple had five children, Lois (m. Albert Buckwalter), Beulah (Gonzales), Eunice (m. Daniel Miller), John (d. 1971), and Esther (m. James Shertz).

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