Obituary
The life story: key facts, relationships, milestones, and the qualities people remember.
Funeral Order of Service Template
5 complete funeral order of service examples with timings—Christian, non-religious, graveside, military, and cremation. Edit the sequence and download a free PDF.
An order of service is the chronological list of what happens during a funeral or memorial. In the U.S., it usually appears inside the funeral program; in the U.K., “order of service” can also mean the whole printed booklet.
Free PDF downloadEditable templateNo account required
4 editable starting outlines
Edit the order
Choose a reusable outline, then adjust names, songs, readers, and short notes. The 5 complete examples below are separate read-only references.
7 editable sections based on a common Christian memorial service. Confirm final details with your officiant or funeral home.
Example wording is shown in the proof until you replace it.
Quick answer · Sequence guide
What usually goes in a funeral order of service?
There is no single required order. Use this common sequence, then let the venue and service leader make the final call.
| Service part | What to include | Who should confirm it |
|---|---|---|
| Gathering music or prelude | Music played while guests arrive and are seated. | Family, venue, musician, or funeral home |
| Welcome and opening | A greeting, opening prayer, or short explanation of the gathering. | Officiant, celebrant, or service leader |
| Reading, scripture, or poem | The title or passage plus the reader’s name. | Reader and, for a church service, clergy |
| Obituary or life story | A concise account of the person’s life; it may be read aloud or only printed. | Family fact-checker and reader |
| Eulogy and tributes | Speaker names and the order in which they will share memories. | Each speaker and the service leader |
| Music or reflection | A hymn, song, slideshow, or quiet moment between spoken parts. | Musician, venue, and service leader |
| Closing, committal, or recessional | Final words, blessing, dismissal, and the music played as the family exits. | Officiant, funeral home, or cemetery |
| Reception or repast | The location and any directions guests need after the service. | Family host and venue |
By the Funeral Program Maker Editorial Team · Updated · Editorial standards
5 read-only sample orders
Read a complete example without changing your draft
Open any of the 5 examples for reference. They do not add editor presets, change the editable order, or move you away from this section.
7-part exampleAbout 45–60 minutesChristian funeral serviceA familiar church or chapel sequence with prayer, scripture, a eulogy, and a closing blessing.
- PreludeSoft instrumental music as guests are seated.10–15 minConfirm with: Musician, organist, or funeral home
- Welcome and Opening PrayerLed by Rev. Jordan Lee.3–5 minConfirm with: Officiant or presiding clergy
- Scripture ReadingPsalm 23, read by Morgan Carter.3–5 minConfirm with: Reader and clergy
- Obituary and Life StoryRead by Taylor Carter.4–6 minConfirm with: Family fact-checker and reader
- Eulogy and TributesShared by family and close friends.10–20 minConfirm with: Each speaker and the service leader
- Closing PrayerFinal blessing from Rev. Jordan Lee.3–5 minConfirm with: Officiant
- RecessionalAmazing Grace as the family departs.3–5 minConfirm with: Musician and funeral director
7-part exampleAbout 40–60 minutesNon-religious memorial serviceA warm, flexible outline centered on the person’s life, shared memories, music, and reflection.
- Gathering MusicFavorite instrumental selections as guests arrive.10–15 minConfirm with: Family and venue sound contact
- WelcomeOpening remarks by the celebrant.3–5 minConfirm with: Celebrant or service leader
- Reading or PoemA short reading selected by the family.2–4 minConfirm with: Reader and family
- Obituary and Life StoryA summary of the life being remembered.4–6 minConfirm with: Family fact-checker and reader
- Shared MemoriesTributes from family and friends.12–20 minConfirm with: Each speaker and the celebrant
- Moment of ReflectionQuiet reflection with a favorite song.3–5 minConfirm with: Family and venue sound contact
- Closing and ReceptionClosing thanks and reception details.3–5 minConfirm with: Family host and reception venue
5-part exampleAbout 15–25 minutesShort funeral or graveside serviceA concise sequence for a smaller memorial, committal, or graveside gathering.
- WelcomeBrief welcome and introduction.2–3 minConfirm with: Officiant or funeral director
- ReadingA short poem, prayer, or meaningful passage.2–4 minConfirm with: Reader and family
- TributeA family member shares a remembrance.4–8 minConfirm with: Speaker and family
- Moment of SilenceA quiet moment for personal reflection.1–2 minConfirm with: Officiant
- ClosingFinal words, committal, and gathering instructions.3–5 minConfirm with: Officiant and cemetery staff
10-part exampleAbout 55–75 minutesMilitary funeral with honorsA veteran’s service that adds the flag detail, Taps, and the presentation of the flag to the next of kin.
- PreludeInstrumental music as guests are seated.10–15 minConfirm with: Musician or funeral home
- ProcessionalFamily enters, accompanied by the honor guard or pallbearers.3–5 minConfirm with: Funeral director and honors detail
- Welcome and InvocationOpening words from the officiant or chaplain.3–5 minConfirm with: Officiant or military chaplain
- Scripture or ReadingA passage, poem, or service creed chosen by the family.3–5 minConfirm with: Reader and officiant
- Life Story and Service RecordBiography including branch, rank, years of service, deployments, and decorations.5–8 minConfirm with: Family fact-checker against the DD-214
- Eulogy and TributesRemarks from family, friends, and fellow service members.10–15 minConfirm with: Each speaker and the service leader
- CommittalFinal commendation at the graveside or committal shelter.3–5 minConfirm with: Officiant and cemetery staff
- Military Funeral HonorsRifle volley where a firing party is assigned, the sounding of Taps, and the folding of the flag by the honors detail.10–15 minConfirm with: Funeral director and the assigned honors detail
- Presentation of the FlagThe folded flag is presented to the next of kin with the words of thanks on behalf of a grateful nation.2–4 minConfirm with: Honors detail and family, so the correct recipient is named
- Benediction and RecessionalClosing blessing and departure music.3–5 minConfirm with: Officiant and funeral director
8-part exampleAbout 45–60 minutes, plus receptionCremation memorial serviceA memorial held after cremation, with the urn present instead of a casket. Often scheduled weeks or months after the date of death.
- Gathering Music and Memory TableGuests arrive, sign the guest book, and view photos, keepsakes, and the urn.15–20 minConfirm with: Family host and venue
- WelcomeOpening remarks explaining why the family chose this date and setting.3–5 minConfirm with: Celebrant or family speaker
- Reading or PoemA short reading, blessing, or passage chosen by the family.2–4 minConfirm with: Reader and family
- Life StoryThe obituary or a spoken summary of the life being remembered.4–6 minConfirm with: Family fact-checker and reader
- Shared MemoriesInvited tributes, or an open microphone if the family wants guests to speak.12–20 minConfirm with: Celebrant, who should set a time limit per speaker
- Photo Tribute or SlideshowA montage or slideshow set to chosen music.5–8 minConfirm with: Venue A/V contact, tested before the service
- Closing and Inurnment NoteClosing thanks, plus what happens to the ashes: interment, niche placement, scattering, or keeping them at home.3–5 minConfirm with: Family and, where applicable, the cemetery or scattering site
- ReceptionLocation, directions, and timing for the gathering afterwards.OpenConfirm with: Family host and reception venue
Choose a format
Which funeral program format fits your order of service?
Once you know how many parts, photos, and words you have, the format almost picks itself. All three print on standard 8.5 × 11 in US Letter paper.
| Compare | 4-page programFolded letter | Trifold programSix panels | 8-page bookletBooklet format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printed panels | 4 panels | 6 panels | 8 panels |
| Finished size | 5.5 × 8.5 in | 3.67 × 8.5 in | 5.5 × 8.5 in |
| Paper it prints on | One 8.5 × 11 in sheet, folded once | One 8.5 × 11 in sheet, folded twice | Two 8.5 × 11 in sheets, folded and nested |
| Order of service parts | 7–10 parts | 8–12 parts | 12–20 parts |
| Obituary length | 250–400 words | 300–500 words | 600–900 words |
| Photos | Cover portrait plus 1–3 inside | Cover portrait plus 3–5 inside | Cover portrait plus 6–12 inside |
| Full song or hymn lyrics | Usually will not fit | Room for about one | Room for two or three |
| Acknowledgements and pallbearers | Tight; keep it short | Comfortable | Comfortable, with room for a poem |
| Typical guest count | 50–150 | 50–150 | 100–300+ |
| Best for | Most church, chapel, and funeral-home services | More content without moving to a booklet | Homegoing services and full life stories |
| Local printing | Easiest to fold and print same day | Fold lines must be accurate | Needs stapling or saddle-stitch binding |
| Start with this | 4-page program | Trifold program | 8-page booklet |
Word and photo counts are planning guidance, not hard limits. Every template holds a slightly different amount depending on the photo sizes and how long the names and titles run. Preview the full proof before you print.
Know the difference
Funeral program, order of service, and obituary
These three pieces overlap, but each has a different job. Treating them separately makes the final program easier to review.
Order of service
The event sequence: readings, music, speakers, prayers, tributes, and closing instructions.
Funeral program
The printed piece that can combine the cover, obituary, order of service, photos, and acknowledgements.
Naming
What is the pamphlet at a funeral actually called?
There is no single correct name. The handout given out at a funeral goes by several names depending on the country, the denomination, and whether you are talking to a family or a funeral supplier. They all describe the same printed piece.
- Funeral programMost common in the U.S.
- The complete printed piece: cover, obituary, order of service, photos, and acknowledgements.
- Order of serviceStandard in the U.K. and Ireland
- In the U.S. this names one section inside the program. In the U.K. it usually means the whole booklet.
- Memorial folderFuneral-industry and supplier term
- A folded single sheet, often sold pre-printed with a border or scene.
- Funeral pamphlet or bookletEveryday spoken use
- An informal name for the same handout. Search engines and families use it interchangeably with program.
- Homegoing service programBlack church tradition
- A celebratory program, often longer, with room for extended tributes, poems, and photo pages.
- Mass booklet or worship aidCatholic parishes
- Follows the Funeral Mass, including responses so the congregation can participate.
- Celebration of life programNon-religious and modern services
- Same printed piece, named to match a service that focuses on the life rather than a religious rite.
If a funeral director, parish, or printer uses a term you have not heard, ask whether they mean the whole printed handout or only the sequence of the service. That one question prevents most ordering mistakes.
Before you print
Final review checklist
- Confirm the final sequence with the officiant, church, funeral home, or cemetery.
- Check every person’s name, title, reading, song, and speaking role.
- Replace all bracketed example text before downloading or printing.
- Confirm permission or approved wording for copyrighted lyrics and readings.
- Print one proof copy and check page order, margins, photo quality, and fold direction.
Finish the program
Readings, music, formats, and printing help
Frequently asked questions
Funeral order of service questions
What is a funeral order of service?
It is the chronological list of what will happen during the service, including music, readings, prayers, speakers, tributes, and closing instructions.
Is an order of service the same as a funeral program?
In the U.S., the order of service is usually one section inside the funeral program. In some countries, “order of service” also describes the full printed booklet.
Does every funeral use the same order?
No. A church funeral, Catholic Mass, Homegoing service, celebration of life, and graveside service can each use a different sequence. Always confirm the final order with the person leading the service.
Should the obituary be read during the service?
It can be, but it does not have to be. Some families include the obituary in the printed program and use the spoken time for a shorter life story, eulogy, or shared memories.
How long is a typical funeral service?
Most full funeral or memorial services run about 45 to 60 minutes. A graveside or committal service is usually 15 to 25 minutes, and a military funeral with honors often runs 55 to 75 minutes. Each sample order above lists a time estimate per part so you can plan the schedule, but the officiant, venue, and funeral home set the real timing.
What is the pamphlet at a funeral called?
In the U.S. it is usually called a funeral program. You will also hear order of service, memorial folder, funeral booklet, or celebration of life program. In the U.K. and Ireland, order of service is the standard name for the whole booklet. They all refer to the same printed handout.
How many pages should a funeral program be?
A 4-page folded program fits about 7 to 10 service parts, a 250 to 400 word obituary, and up to about four photos, and covers most services. A trifold gives you six panels for more content. An 8-page booklet suits Homegoing services and longer life stories, with room for 600 to 900 words and a dozen photos. The comparison table above matches each format to what you have written.
What order of service is used for a military funeral?
A military funeral follows a standard service and then adds Military Funeral Honors: a rifle volley where a firing party is assigned, the sounding of Taps, the folding of the flag, and the presentation of the flag to the next of kin. Honors are requested through the funeral director rather than booked by the family, so confirm which honors the assigned detail will render before printing the order.
How is a cremation memorial service different?
The urn is present instead of a casket, and there is normally no graveside committal on the day unless an inurnment is scheduled. Because the service is often held weeks or months after the death, families tend to allow more time for shared memories and a photo tribute. If the ashes will be interred or scattered later, state that in the program so guests are not left wondering.
Can I download this order of service template for free?
Yes. Edit the sequence above and download the order-of-service PDF without creating an account. A full multi-page funeral program is a separate printable product.
