Non-Denominational Funeral Order of Service Template

The order of service

1. 01Gathering music

   15 min before

   Recorded or live music as guests are seated. Choose what the person listened to rather than what sounds funereal.

2. 02Welcome and framing

   2 min

   The officiant explains what will happen and how long it will take. In a mixed room, saying this out loud reduces everyone's anxiety.

3. 03Opening reading

   A poem, passage, or piece of writing that the person valued. Public-domain poetry is a safe choice for printing in the program.

4. 04The life story

   6 to 10 min

   A chronological account delivered by the officiant or a family member, drawn from a conversation with the family.

5. 05Tributes

   10 to 15 min

   Two or three speakers, briefed on time. Naming them in the program signals that the list is set.

6. 06Music or silence

   A recorded song, or a deliberate minute of silence introduced as an invitation: "for prayer, reflection, or simply for remembering."

7. 07Optional prayer

   If included, introduce it as optional. "Those who wish to pray are invited to join me" allows everyone to remain comfortable.

8. 08Closing words

   3 min

   A short close naming what the family is grateful for, followed by clear practical instructions.

9. 09Recessional and reception

   Closing music, then the reception. State the location and whether food will be served.

10. 10Committal

    10 min

    Held separately at the graveside or crematorium, often for family only, and typically brief.

Inclusive wording you can copy

Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details. Every block below is free to copy and use.

In Memory of
[Full Name]
[Birth date] – [Date of death]

[Venue]
[City, State]
[Date] at [time]

We are here because [Name] mattered to each of us in a different way. Whatever you believe about what comes next, you are welcome here, and your grief belongs in this room.

Let us take a minute together. You may use it to pray, to reflect, or simply to think about [Name].

Those who wish to pray are invited to join me. Others are welcome to sit quietly.

We will not stop missing [Name]. We are not meant to. But we can carry [him/her/them] the way [he/she/they] carried us, and we can start by looking after each other. Thank you for being here.

How this fits on a folded program

A standard funeral program is a single sheet folded once, giving four panels. Here is where each part usually goes.

• Front cover: photograph, name, and dates, with no religious imagery unless the family wants it
• Inside left: the order of the service, with readings and speakers named
• Inside right: the life story or obituary
• Back cover: the family's thanks, reception details, and donation information

Practical notes

• Decide in advance whether any prayer will be included, and tell the officiant. A prayer inserted spontaneously into a secular service is the most common source of family friction afterward.
• If the person held a specific belief, saying so plainly is more respectful than neutralizing it. "She was a lifelong Quaker" is a fact about her, not an imposition on the room.
• Celebrants and humanist officiants are widely available and are trained specifically for mixed-belief services. Funeral homes usually keep a list.
• Give an explicit end time in the welcome. Guests relax noticeably when they know how long a service will run.

Questions families ask

Who officiates a non-denominational funeral?

A civil celebrant, humanist officiant, funeral director, or a family member can all lead the service. Funeral homes typically maintain a list of local celebrants. If a family member leads, give them a printed script, because reading from a page is far easier than improvising while grieving.

Can we include religious elements?

Yes. Many non-denominational services include a psalm, a hymn, or a prayer because those things mattered to the person or to part of the family. Framing them as invitations rather than instructions keeps the whole room comfortable.

How long should a non-denominational service be?

Thirty to forty-five minutes is typical and works well. Without a liturgy setting the pace, services that run past an hour tend to lose energy, and the closing loses its effect.