Some of my favorite passages to read at funerals include Psalm 23, Psalm 101, Psalm 116, Psalm 139, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and Revelation 21:1-7.
Summary and Celebration of the Departed’s Life
Following the Scripture reading, you may consider offering a summary of the deceased’s life as the officiant.
This will require that you meet with the family in advance of the service to interview them. Take detailed notes about when and where the person was born, who their parents and siblings were, where they went to school, when they got married, what they did for a living, what they were passionate about, what their families remember most fondly about them, the manner of their death, and who they leave behind.
Do all that you can to give a faithful account of the person’s life, paying homage to their heritage, their character, the challenges they overcame, and the legacy they left behind.
Personal Sharing of Memories
After you have given a faithful account of the deceased’s life, invite family and friends to come and share personal memories about their loved one.
While some funeral services and memorials offer an “open mic” style sharing time, pre-designating a select number of people to share may be wise. It will keep the service within an allotted time frame, as well as avoid the danger of someone highjacking the microphone to share a eulogy of unwieldy length or questionable content.
As the officiant, let those in attendance know who and how many will be sharing personal memories, and then invite them up one after the other. Assure everyone in attendance that there will be plenty of time to share more of their stories and memories at the reception.
Scripture Reading
It is always good to bookend remembrance of the departed with Scripture readings.
If you have designated someone to do the Scripture reading for the service, consider allowing them to select two of their favorite passages from a predetermined list for the two readings. Otherwise, consider reading one Old Testament passage and one New Testament passage.
Message of Hope (Sermon)
At this point in the service, you should share a brief sermon that includes the gospel message. If the deceased was a follower of Jesus, directly connect the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection to the hope that the departed had and now sees fulfilled in their life beyond the grave.
This sermon should be brief, poignant, hopeful, and compassionate. 10 to 15 minutes is plenty of time. John 14 and 1 Corinthians 15 are both excellent options to center your message on.
Video/Slideshow of Memories
Following a brief prayer to conclude the sermon, invite those in attendance to watch a video slideshow with pictures from the deceased’s life.
