Funeral Music
Music at the funeral is to support the liturgy and provide expressions of comfort, hope, or even joy, at the funeral. Anything from our hymnal is appropriate, however, we have provided you with some suggestions here to help start the thinking. Please note that because something is listed in a specific category, it doesn’t mean it can’t be used somewhere else in the liturgy.
Litany or Gathering Hymns
Funeral Litany by John Becker (this may be used as the entire gathering song, or just until the procession reaches the front. The assembly joins in on the refrain. If it is used as a processional only, it is then followed by a congregational hymn.)
| Blest Are They | #636 |
| Here I Am Lord | #671 |
| Crown Him With Many Crowns | #489 |
| Faith of our Fathers | #579 |
| For All the Saints | #791 |
| I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say | #622 |
| I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light | #513 |
| Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You | #520 |
| Lord of All Hopefulness | #560 |
| Sing of the Lord’s Goodness | #532 |
Psalms
| Psalm 16 — Center of My Life | #580 |
| Psalm 23 — Shepherd Me, O God | #23 |
| Psalm 25 — To You O Lord I Lift My Soul | #26 |
| Psalm 27 — The Lord is My Light | #29 |
| Psalm 91 — On Eagles Wings | #593 |
| Psalm 103 — The Lord is Kind and Merciful | #59 |
Preparation of the Gifts
(a solo or anthem may be used here)
| Eye Has Not Seen | #616 |
| I Have Loved You | #504 |
| Precious Lord, Take My Hand | #847 |
| Seek Ye First | #600 |
| We Have Been Told | #694 |
Communion
(a solo or anthem may be used here)
| Alleluia! Sing to Jesus | #826 |
| O Let All Who Thirst (Come to the Water) | #502 |
| Eat This Bread | #806 |
| I Am the Bread of Life | #822 |
| Make Me A Channel of Your Peace (Prayer of St. Francis) | #721 |
| Taste and See | #827 |
| The King of Love My Shepherd Is | #631 |
| We Remember | #578 |
| You Are Mine | #627 |
Final Commendation
| Song of Farewell | #867 |
Closing Hymns
| Amazing Grace | #586 |
| Be Not Afraid | #596 |
| Go Silent Friend (tune: Danny Boy) | #868 |
| How Great Thou Art | #496 |
| I Know That My Redeemer Lives | #454 |
| Jerusalem My Happy Home | #764 |
| Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory | #759 |
| Sing a New Song | #544 |
| The Hand of God Shall Hold You | #862 |
| We Shall Rise Again | #762 |
Common Solos
Ave Maria
Pie Jesu
Choral Anthems
(music is not found in our hymnals)
Panis Angelicus
Nearer My God to Thee
Softly and Tenderly
What a Friend we Have in Jesus
The Old Rugged Cross
In the Garden
NOTE: There are additional hymn resources available, however the ability to reproduce them for congregational use may be limited by copyright availability and time to reproduce them.