What a funeral order of service is
A funeral order of service is the printed booklet handed to mourners as they arrive at a funeral. It sets out the running order of the service — the music, the hymns, the readings, the tribute, the prayers, and the committal — so that everyone in the congregation knows what is happening and when, and can join in with the parts meant for them.
In the United Kingdom this booklet is almost always called the order of service, a name that comes from its liturgical roots: it is the printed form of the “order” in which a church service proceeds. In the United States the same document is usually called a funeral program. The two terms describe an identical object with an identical purpose — this page uses “order of service” throughout, with US notes where conventions diverge, and we maintain a companion funeral program page written for the US audience. If you have arrived here searching for one term and expecting the other, you are in the right place.
The booklet does two jobs at once. The first is practical: it tells mourners when to stand and sit, which hymn to turn to and what words to sing, when the eulogy will be given, and how the service will end. A congregation following an order of service is oriented and able to participate; a congregation without one is hesitant, glancing around for cues, unsure whether to sing. The second job is to be a keepsake. Unlike the death notice in the paper, the order of service is a physical object that mourners take home, and for many families it becomes a treasured memorial — often the first in a small collection of remembrance objects. Both jobs matter, and the design should serve both: clear enough to follow during the service, and dignified enough to keep afterwards.
When you need one
A church funeral. Any Church of England, Catholic, or Free Church funeral with hymns, readings, and congregational responses benefits enormously from a printed order of service, because the congregation needs to know the sequence and the words to participate.
A crematorium service. UK crematorium services run to a fixed time slot (often 30 minutes), and a clear order of service keeps the service moving and lets mourners follow the carefully chosen music and readings.
A humanist or non-religious funeral. With no standard liturgy, the order of service is especially valuable, because the entire shape of the service is bespoke and the booklet is the only guide the mourners have.
A memorial service. Held separately from the funeral or cremation, sometimes weeks later, a memorial service often has its own, more reflective order of service.
As a keepsake for those who could not attend. Spare copies posted to relatives who could not be there — particularly the elderly or those overseas — are a thoughtful gesture and part of the family record.
What goes on each panel
The standard UK A5 bi-fold (folded from A4) gives four panels:
Cover (outside front): the person”s full name; their dates of birth and death; a portrait photograph; the service date, time, and venue. Optionally a short verse, a line of scripture, or “In loving memory of.”
Inside left: the first part of the order of service — entrance music, the welcome, the first hymn (with lyrics if there is room), and the first reading.
Inside right: the second part — further readings, the tribute or eulogy, prayers, the commendation, the committal, the second hymn, and the exit music.
Back (outside rear): the family”s acknowledgement and thanks, the donation request (charity and how to give), the wake or reception details, and a closing poem or verse.
For longer services with full hymn lyrics, reading texts, and congregational responses, a stapled multi-page A5 booklet replaces the single bi-fold.
The order of service by tradition
Church of England (Common Worship). A typical Anglican funeral runs: entrance music; sentences of scripture and a welcome; a hymn; prayers (which may include a penitential section); a psalm (often Psalm 23); one or two Bible readings; the sermon or address; a tribute; prayers of intercession; a hymn; the commendation (entrusting the person to God”s mercy, a required element of the Common Worship funeral); the committal (“we therefore commit… earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust”); a closing blessing; and exit music. The officiant confirms the exact selection.
Roman Catholic. A Requiem Mass follows the Roman Rite, with the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The booklet must carry the congregational responses, the readings, and any sung parts. Eulogies may be restricted or brief, with the priest”s homily carrying the reflection — confirm with the parish priest.
Free Church / Nonconformist. Methodist, Baptist, United Reformed, and other Free Church funerals follow a structure similar to the Anglican form but with greater flexibility in prayers and music, set by the minister.
Humanist / non-religious. No fixed liturgy; the celebrant builds the service around the person. The tribute carries more of the service, readings are secular, and the committal is in non-religious words. The booklet is often the most personal, with favourite quotations and photographs.
US conventions (the funeral program)
In the US, the same booklet is the funeral program. The conventions differ slightly: programs more often include a fuller biographical paragraph or a poem inside, frequently feature the photograph more prominently, and “in lieu of flowers, donations to…” is standard on the back. Format is typically a half-letter or letter bi-fold or trifold rather than UK A5. The order of service within follows the relevant denomination just as in the UK. For a US-focused walkthrough, see the companion funeral program page.
Paper, printing, and how many to order
The physical production of the booklet deserves attention, because it is both a working document on the day and a keepsake afterwards. For a standard UK A5 bi-fold, a cardstock of 160 to 200 gsm gives the booklet enough weight to feel substantial and to survive being held, folded, and kept; anything thinner feels flimsy and creases badly. Silk or matt finishes are the usual choices, with matt increasingly preferred for its quieter, more sombre quality. White and cream are the most common colours, though a pale colour reflecting the person”s taste is entirely appropriate. For longer services that include full hymn lyrics, reading texts, and responses, a stapled multi-page A5 booklet replaces the single folded sheet.
You can print through the funeral director, an online print service, or a local print shop. The funeral director”s in-house service is the most convenient — they handle design and printing as part of the package — but usually carries a markup, with UK print runs typically £60 to £150. Online services such as Solopress, Instantprint, and Moo offer same-day or next-day printing for considerably less (often £30 to £80 for 100 A5 bi-folds) if you supply a print-ready PDF; this is the cheaper route if you are comfortable laying the booklet out yourself. Whichever you use, supply a PDF rather than an editable file, proof the final version with fresh eyes (and ideally the officiant”s), and do not leave the order until the morning of the service — most services need 24 to 48 hours.
On quantity, the firm rule is to over-order: print 10 to 15 percent more booklets than you expect mourners. Funerals very frequently draw more people than anticipated, especially for someone who was active in their community or who died unexpectedly, and running out at the door is genuinely distressing — late arrivals are left unable to follow the service, and the family feels the shortfall keenly. The marginal cost of twenty or thirty extra booklets is trivial against that. Set aside additional copies, too, for the immediate family, the officiant, the funeral director, and relatives who could not attend but would treasure a copy; the order of service is part of the permanent family record, and spare copies are often requested for years afterwards.
Common mistakes
Mistake 1: An order of service that does not match the actual service. If the booklet lists the committal before the tribute, or omits a hymn the organist will play, the congregation cannot follow. Confirm the final running order with the officiant and have them check the proof.
Mistake 2: Typos in names and dates. Visible to everyone, impossible to correct once printed, and painful to the family. Check every name (including the person who died) and every date against official documents, and have someone else proof it.
Mistake 3: The wrong hymn version. Hymns and worship songs exist in multiple versions; “Amazing Grace” in its traditional form and the modern “My Chains Are Gone” arrangement are not the same. Confirm the version with the organist or music director so the printed words match what is played.
Mistake 4: A low-resolution cover photograph. A pixelated or stretched photo prints badly and upsets families. Use an image of at least 300 dpi at print size, or print it smaller rather than enlarging.
Mistake 5: Not printing enough. Running out at the door is distressing. Print 10 to 15 percent over expected attendance and keep spares for family and absent relatives.
Worked example
A5 bi-fold order of service for a Church of England funeral.
Cover: Photograph (formal portrait from her 80th birthday). “In loving memory of Margaret Ellen Harrington, 12 September 1938 – 14 April 2026. All Saints Church, Dorchester. Friday 2 May 2026, 2:00 pm.”
Inside — Order of Service (Officiant: Reverend Sarah Lowes):
- Entrance music: “Nimrod” from Elgar”s Enigma Variations
- Welcome and opening prayer
- Hymn: “The Lord”s My Shepherd” (Crimond) — full lyrics printed
- Reading: Psalm 23 — read by granddaughter Emma
- Tribute — given by her son Michael
- Reading: “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” — read by daughter Claire
- Prayers of intercession
- Hymn: “How Great Thou Art” (verses 1, 2, 4) — full lyrics printed
- Commendation and committal
- Exit music: “Jerusalem” (Parry)
Back panel: “The family thanks everyone for their love, prayers, and support. A reception will follow at the Church Hall (DT1 1XX) from approximately 3:30 pm. Family flowers only please; donations if desired to Marie Curie at mariecurie.org.uk. ‘To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.’”
The family printed 200 copies (final attendance was 167) on cream 200 gsm cardstock through Solopress, ordered three days before the service. The hymn lyrics were printed in full so the whole congregation could sing, and the CCLI licence number was included for the in-copyright hymn. The running order was confirmed with Reverend Lowes and proofed twice before printing.
Related categories
The funeral order of service is one of several documents a family produces after a death. Its US counterpart is the funeral program, and the two pages cover the same booklet for their respective audiences. The eulogy is the spoken tribute that appears in the running order; the obituary is the published account of the life; and the death announcement is the short notice that brings mourners to the service the booklet guides them through. A sympathy card is the message of comfort sent in response. Alongside the service itself, a death sets the estate in motion: the last will governs how affairs are settled, part of the legal aftermath that runs in parallel with the funeral arrangements.