Apopka resident Patrick “Pat” McGuffin celebrated his retirement as pastor at Freedom Fellowship Church on Sunday. 

“Through decades of faithful service, Pastor Pat has led with humility, wisdom, and unwavering devotion to God and His people and has been such an inspiration to me,” said Matt Butschek, McGuffin’s son-in-law and new lead pastor, in a statement to The Apopka Chief. “I will always be grateful for how much he spoke into my life and how much he cared about my growth.” 

Community leaders and pastors Joe Warner, Tony Nardella, and Keith Tucci came to celebrate McGuffin on Sunday. Toward the end of the service, Butschek offered a prayer for the church. 

McGuffin joined Freedom Fellowship as a member in 2000, working his way into several church leadership roles before becoming lead pastor in January 2020. He previously co-founded missions organization Heart of Titus Ministries, written eight books, and published 19 newspapers across Central Florida, including The Apopka Chief. 

McGuffin credits his journalism background for teaching him “to ask great questions” and know “how to listen carefully to people,” skills he believes crucial to his former role as pastor. Even as a journalist, though, he says he was always attuned to God’s calling. 

“I became a Christian when I was 16, and so it has been a growing process since then, and I just always had a heart to get to know God and hear from him and do what I hear,” McGuffin said. “That’s kind of been the journey of my life.” 

McGuffin said the greatest obstacle he faced as pastor was walking his congregants through various life tragedies. Two of his leaders, for instance, both lost spouses of many years. 

“How do you realize that [you] have an all-loving God who decided to allow their partner to walk into their reward, which may be good for them, but leaves you feeling bankrupt?” McGuffin said. “How do you kick in gear again? How can you turn that pain into helping other people? Those are some of the things you’re trying to help them think through, as well as the practicalities of negotiating life without your partner.” 

Overall, McGuffin believes he has helped establish a sound “springboard” for his successor to flourish, emphasizing his church’s widespread formation of “good leaders.” 

“Freedom Fellowship moved from a collection of individuals that enjoyed coming to church together to a large, expanded family of people from different cultures and ages, enjoying sharing life together,” McGuffin said. 

McGuffin said he will likely read and write more books and go on more missions trips during retirement. He will still serve part-time in church discipleship during the transition. 

“It’s kind of like turning it over to the next generation,” McGuffin said. “He’s going to bring a younger perspective, but still full of wisdom. He’ll bring a passion and energy.”