Celebration of the Life and Faith of Morris (Buzz) Young

Greeting and Scripture: Pastor Chris Cooper

Welcome, you should know that Buzz had given thoughtful instructions regarding what will be done here today. Buz prayed and sought God’s guidance in putting these things together. Therefore, we can be assured that we will receive a gracious gift from Buz intended to provide us all with comfort and grace.

Buz knew that he would not be here to do this himself, so how will this comfort and grace be given to us? In 1 Thessalonians Paul wanted to care for a suffering congregation by giving them some much needed grace. Like Buz, it was impossible for Paul to be there, but Paul knew that there was a something that could be done. Paul sent Timothy to encourage and to establish them in the faith. (2:17-3:3) In a similar way, this is how Buzz will be expressing his care and love to his family and friends who have gathered here today. These graces will be delivered to us by all those who will share things today.

You might ask, “Why am I confident that the LORD will work through the things that are done here today to minister the grace of God to you?”

Well, a long time ago Buzz had given me a file regarding this funeral. That file sat undisturbed for years, but not long before he died he began to update that file. At that time he began to tell me that he felt like God was calling him home. About a month ago Buzz me handed me some changes and said, “I think the LORD is telling me that the time is getting close.” I told Buzz that he had many more years to be with us. Little did I know that what Buz was right. So I know that God intends to give us his grace because the LORD was leading Buz in these things. Right up to the very end, the LORD was making changes about what would be done here today.

Scripture: Chris Cooper

O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wonderful deeds.

So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens.

You have done great things, O God, who is like you?

You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again;

from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.

(Psalm 71:17-21)

The Palmist speaks of the fact that that LORD had ‘taught’ him. This ‘teaching’ begins by the Spirit of God when the Gospel is heard, received, and responded to by the hearer. When this happens that individual comes to understand that the Scriptures are the very Word of God and they respond in faithful obedience to them from that day forward.

Buz told me that this happened to him in a saving way when he was in his forties. This happened after he signed up on a prayer list to pray at a certain time that week. He asked Anna to leave the house while he did this, and after she left he got down on his knees at their Almond residence. He said that it was during that time that the LORD revealed to him that he was a sinner and needed Jesus Christ to be his Savior.

I think of Buz when I read these words, “Some of the elect are converted after their early years, having lived in the natural state for a time and served various evil desires and pleasures. God gives these repentance to life as part of their effectual calling.”

This profound experience helped to shape Buz into the man of prayer that we all knew him to be. His conversion to Christ came while he humbled himself to pray and afterward his life continued to be characterized by prayer. Therefore, let us be encouraged by this and turn our hearts to God in prayer as Bob Peterson comes up to pray on this occasion.

Prayer: Bob Peterson

Obituary Reading: Shane Westphal

Morris Anton Young, age 88, passed away peacefully on April 19, 2026, in Weston, Wisconsin. He was born on July 4, 1937, in the Town of Almond, Wisconsin, to Clarence Morris Young and Dora Anna (Lewin) Young.Morris lived a life rooted in family, hard work, and quiet dedication to his church. He was a proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who found his greatest joy in spending time with those he loved. He especially cherished camping trips with his family and traveling out west, with Alaska holding a special place in his heart. Morris enjoyed a wide range of hobbies, including basketball, archery, hunting, woodworking, remodeling his home, and backpacking. One of his most treasured memories was a special trip he took with his grandchildren, a time he held close for the rest of his life.He is survived by his children, Roxana (Christopher) Crye of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Roger Young of Almond, Wisconsin. He is further survived by his grandchildren: Matthew (Jenny) Crye of Chicago, Illinois; Aaron (Lindsay) Crye of Richfield, Minnesota; David (Jana) Crye of Raleigh, North Carolina; and Kimberly (Jon) Hoffman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Morris was also blessed with great-grandchildren: Asa and Kairo Crye; Ella and Sawyer Crye; Leona and Arlo Crye; and Lily and Zander Hoffman.Morris was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Dora Young; his beloved wife, Anna Young; his son, Andy Young; and his sisters, Melva Eswein and Mavis Schmude.

Song: Precious Lord Take My Hand

Homily: Galatians 2:20 “The Foundation and the Fountain of Buzz’ Faith”

Buz wanted us to know that Galatians 2:20 was his favorite verse in the bible. It says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

When Paul says these words he expresses that his life was entirely caught up and connected with Christ. As a result of this, Paul continually drew closer to the LORD. This strong desire and compulsion in Paul to do these things arose from his understanding of the Gospel. In the Book of Galatians Paul addressed this in the opening verses, saying, “Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1:3-5)

Because Paul’s life was characterized by drawing close to Christ through faith, we can understand why Paul would be astonished when he learned that the Galatians were failing to do the same. This is why Paul says right after those verses in Galatians 1:6, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-not that there is another one…”.

In the years that I knew Buz and Anna their lives were characterized as a couple who trusted Christ and drew ever closer to the LORD through faith. They both understood that the Gospel is that ‘Jesus Christ had given Himself for their sins to deliver them from this present evil age’. The faith that Buz and Anna had in the redemptive work of Christ did two things in them that Paul mentioned at the beginning of 1:3.

• First, Buzz and Anna both had a personal relationship with the LORD through which they received the gift of God’s grace and peace.

• Second, this grace and peace from God then overflowed to everyone who was around them. Buz and Anna were two of the most gracious and peaceful people I have ever known.

I would like to consider three things from Galatians 2:20. I have entitled this homily, ‘The Foundation and the Fountainhead of Buz’ Faith’.

Foundation Of A Christ Centered Life

The foundation of Buz’s life is seen at the end of Galatians 2:20 with these words, “...the Son of God...who loved me and gave himself for me.” Anyone who has spent time with Buz knows that he understood that the LORD had loved him and graciously and mercifully saved him. Buz marveled at the fact that Jesus Christ died for him even though he was such a great sinner. In these words we see two great truths.

• First, we are sinners.

• Second, the Son of God died so that sinners might be saved.

Christ died for sinners. The Great Physician, Jesus Christ, the Son of God came for the sick, not the healthy. He came to save sinners, not the self-righteous. Paul emphasized this fact when he reminded the Galatians about this very truth. Before his conversion Paul would have reminded people of his self-righteousness, but after his conversion on the road to Damascus Paul says in Galatians 1:13, “I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.” (1:13) If Christ did not come to save sinners there would be no hope for Paul!

We might ask, “How could a man like Paul, who hated Jesus and persecuted Christians, ever be saved?” If someone were to ask Paul this question he would not say it had something to do with him. No, we read what he would have said in Galatians 1:15, “...when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me…”. God called Paul by His grace What Amazing grace this is that saves sinners!

Like Paul, if we are honest we would have to admit that there is nothing righteous or commendable in us that would warrant God’s gracious love to be shown to us. Buz was never one who would try to give any reason found in himself for an explanation for what God had done for him. Buz always spoke of the grace and mercy of God that had saved him.

Next notice who loved sinners, who died for sinners, and who gives this gracious gift of salvation so freely. In this short verse Paul speaks of Christ two times, and at the end of this verse he refers to Jesus as the Son of God. Oh, how efficacious the work of salvation is through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who left His throne in heaven to save sinners. The Son of God begins this work of salvation in sinners and He alone can and will bring it to completion. (Philippians 1:6)

Throughout this process, from beginning to end, a believer can be assured that God is with them. Paul speaks of this in Romans 8:31-39, saying, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us (even while we are sinners), who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all (because all whom God will ever save are sinners), how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (we will discuss this next) Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? (when they sin) It is God who justifies. (sinners) Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It is upon Christ’s work and His love for sinners that was the Foundation of Buz’ Faith.

The Fountainhead of Buz’ Hope

This now brings us to consider the Fountainhead of Buz’ hope. A fountainhead is the abundant source of a stream. In your mind you may think of a small source of water but think BIG! In Galatians 2:20 Paul describes a tremendously large source of grace that every believer enjoys. To put it simply, the fountainhead of Buz’s hope was the fact that he had been united with Christ and Christ had indwelt him. We see this in Galatians 2:20 where Paul describes both aspects of a believers union with Christ when he says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

Do you see what Paul says in these words? He says, “I have been crucified with Christ (the believer is united to Christ).” Then Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. (Christ is in the believer imparting light and life)”

Paul speaks of this same thing in Galatians 3:27 when he says, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Because of this, Paul can say in Galatians 5:24, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” This union with Christ changes everything; therefore, Paul can say these words in Galatians 6:14, “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of the LORD Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”

In Galatians 2:20 Paul emphasizes only one important part of a believers union with Christ- his union with Christ in His death on the cross. The Law of God condemned everyone because because of their sin, but because Christ bore the sin, punishment, and the curse for His people upon the cross they are now forgiven, justified, and adopted into God’s family. (Galatians 2:15-16)

The verb ‘I have been crucified’ emphasizes that this was a past action done by God that has continuing results in the life of a believer. In other words, the believers union with Christ in his death on the cross is just the beginning. After this, many new benefits result from a believers union with Christ. For example, in the Book of Galatians Paul speaks of other benefits like how a believer receives God’s promises, they are redeemed, they obtain the blessings of God, they are given the promised Holy Spirit, they’re adopted, etc.

Throughout the scriptures we see why the fountainhead of a believer’s hope is grounded upon their union with Christ. Apart from Him we have nothing, but in Christ, or with Christ, we have everything!

• Romans 6:6 a believer is crucified with Christ

• Romans 6:4 a believer has been buried with Christ

• Romans 6:4 a believer is raised with Christ

• Ephesians 2:5 a believer has been made alive and quickened with Christ

• Colossians 2:6 a believer is seated in heavenly places with Christ

• 2 Timothy 2:12 we are reigning with Christ

• Romans 8:17 a believer is a joint heir with Christ and will be glorified with Christ

• Are you seeing how big this FOUNTAINHEAD is?!

These verses show us that all these gracious gifts are a believers through their union and association with Christ. If you experience one, you will experience them all! This is why Paul can write in Romans 8:29-30 these words, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” What a FOUNTAINHEAD of grace!

These are objective truths found in God’s Word and not based upon our feelings or our fickle circumstances. This is why Buzz could say in the final days of his life, “I finally made it!”

• Buzz knew his sin nature had been crucified with Christ.

• He knew his old sinful nature had been buried with Christ.

• He knew he had been raised to new life in Christ.

• He knew he was already seated in heavenly places in Christ.

• He knew that he was already reigning in heaven with Christ as a joint heir with Him.

• Therefore, in those final moments Buzz knew that he would soon be with Christ.

All Of This Is Accessed By Faith

In Galatians 2:20 Paul has taught us that sinners are saved by Christ’s loving sacrifice, they are united to Christ and are given many gracious blessings, and now we see that all of these gifts are accessed through our faith in Christ. Christ is the object of our faith. Paul speaks of this when he says, “And the life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…”. (Paul was no super Christian. He lived in the flesh just as we do.)

The letter to the Galatians reminds us about how foolish it would be for anyone to have begun their Christian walk by faith in Christ and then abandon that faith and then try to be justified by their own works. (goodness, righteousness, etc) In fact, this is the very context of everything that surrounds Galatians 2:20. For example,

• Galatians 2:15-16 says, “...we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the no one will be justified.”

• In Galatians 2:21 Paul says, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

When Anna died (1/4/22) I was curious to see how this would affect Buz’ faith. Anna was pretty outgoing and so I knew her faith was strong and rested upon Christ. Often times Buz would just sit in the background and smile at Anna while she talked. Because of this I was curious to see how strong Buz’ faith was. I can testify to you today that over the last four years I saw that Buz’ faith was equal to the faith that I had seen and enjoyed in Anna. Buz looked to Christ alone as the Foundation and Fountain of his Faith. Because of this he was not scared when the time of his death came. No, he was hopeful and expectant. He knew that to be apart from the body is to be present with the LORD. (2 Corinthians 5:8) For Buz, to live was Christ and to die was gain. (Philippians 1:21)

Video: Pictures Set To Amazing Grace Instrumental

I Found The Answer (This is a song that could be played?)

Reading By Kim Hoffman

Chorus

I found the answer, I learned to pray,with faith to guide me, I've found the way.The sun is shining for me each day,I found the answer, and I learned to pray.

Verse 1

I was weak and weary, I had gone astray,walking in the darkness, I could not find my way.Then a light came shining to lead me from despair,made all my sins forgiven, and I was free from care.

ChorusI found the answer, I learned to pray,oh with faith to guide me, I've found the way.The sun is shining for me each day,I found the answer, and I learned to pray.

Verse 2I was sad and lonely, all my hopes were gone,days were long and dreary, I couldn't carry on.Then I found the courage to keep my head up high,once again I'm happy, and here's the reason why.

Chorus

I found the answer, I learned to pray,oh with faith to guide me, I've found the way.The sun is shining for me each day,I found the answer, and I learned to pray.

Verse 3Keep your Bible with you, read it every day,always count your blessings and always stop to pray.Learn to keep believing and faith will see you thro',seek to know contentment, and it will come to you.

Song: He Touched Me

Scripture: Pastor Chris (Psalm 92:12-15)

Recently, some of the leaders of our church were asked to list some of the strongest disciples in our congregation. It was no surprise that Buz and Anna Young were at the top of that short list. A team of us discussed what character traits made people like Buz and Anna so special because we would like to provide an atmosphere in this church that produces those types of disciples.

When we thought of people like Buz and Anna we said that they all possessed five character traits that we need to replicate: they have Godly Wisdom, they are Faithful, they are Humble, they are Spirit-Empowered, and they display Compassionate Love. We also said that people like Buz and Anna were competent at the following things: they applied God’s Word rightly, they were devoted to prayer, the were a Gospel Witness, they were a Worshiper of God, and they were Sacrificial Servants.

Because of the life of faith the Buz and Anna lived, because of the gracious virtues they possessed both Buz and Anna will continue long into the future to be among the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ whose faith has become an example for us to follow. Both Buzz and Anna epitomized the words of Psalm 92:12-15 which says,

The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.

They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,

to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Psalm 92:12-15

Closing Prayer: Chad Gregory