Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

Living Hope:

Funeral Hymns

and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture was written by Sue

Edison-Swift, with special thanks to Anne Krentz Organ, the Rev.

Stephen Larson, the Rev. Michelle Miller, the Rev. Craig Mueller

and Barbara Burswold. Theological review by the Rev. Roxi Kringle.

Cover page photograph by Sue Edison-Swift.

Scripture quotations from New Revised Standard Version Bible,

Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Women of the ELCA units, clusters/conferences and synodical

women’s organizations provided each copy is reproduced in its

entirety, unless otherwise indicated by the material, and carries this

reproduce to [email protected].

God “has given us a new birth into a living hope through the

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that

is imperishable, undeﬁled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who

are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation

ready to be revealed in the last time.”

1 Peter 1:3b–5

Women of the ELCA resources, such

as this one, are available free to individuals,

small groups, and congregations. Covering

a variety of topics, we are bringing Lutheran

perspectives and new voices to issues that

matter. By making a donation to Women of the

ELCA, you will help us continue and expand

this important educational ministry. Give online

at womenoftheelca.org or mail to Women of the

ELCA, ELCA Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box

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Did you know?

Living Hope:

Funeral Hymns

and Scripture

How to Use This Resource page 4

Preparing for the Program page 6

Presenting the Program page 7

Appendices page 12

Handout A: Thought Questions page 13

Handout B: Matching Exercise page 15

Matching Exercise Key page 17

Reﬂection A: All Are Welcome page 18

Reﬂection B: Circles of Our Lives page 19

Reﬂection C: Do Not Be Afraid page 20

Reﬂection D: On John 3:16 page 21

Reﬂection E: Lead Me Home page 22

Reﬂection F: The Formula page 23

Reference Sheet A:

Funeral Liturgy Information Sheet page 24

Reference Sheet B:

Hymns for the Funeral (Sample 1) page 26

Reference Sheet C:

Hymns for the Funeral (Sample 2) page 28

Reference Sheet D:

Scripture Readings for the Funeral (Sample 1) page 29

Reference Sheet E:

Scripture Readings for the Funeral (Sample 2) page 31

Contents

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

How to use this resource

This program has a simple yet profound purpose:

to claim and proclaim the living hope found in the

hymns and Scripture texts of funerals. Many of the

participants will leave with texts and hymns selected

for their own or a loved one’s funeral; they also may

leave committed to further funeral planning. Because

one important purpose of a funeral is to console

the living, participants should be encouraged to

remember that hymn and text choices for one’s own

funeral are intended to be shared as a loving gift, not

as a controlling directive. (See Reﬂection A: All Are

Welcome, in Appendices, p. 18)

Assumptions

The program, as written, is limited to a consideration

of hymnal music and Bible readings. In this resource,

“funeral” is used to refer to both a funeral service

and a memorial service. This resource is based on

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, published

by Augsburg Fortress, Publishers. All hymns and

hymn numbers referenced in the program are found

in ELW.

Leadership

This program is best led by at least two people: a

program facilitator and a pianist/musician familiar

with funeral music. The program facilitator is in

charge of planning and coordination, logistics and

group process. The facilitator and musician work

together to plan and lead the program. Others, such

as the pastor and member care coordinator, may be

involved as well.

Scheduling

This program might be used during the Easter season

or in connection with All Saints Day, November 1.

As written, the program is anticipated to take a

minimum of 90 minutes and could easily expand into

a two-session program or a three-hour mini-retreat.

(See Adapting this program later in this section for

ideas on how to do so.)

Hospitality and accessibility issues

To be sure everyone will feel welcome in the group,

issues of accessibility need to be considered in

advance. For example:

• Unless the space is intimate and the group is

small, a microphone and sound system should be

available for use.

• Will some of the participants need large-print

program materials? It’s easy to enlarge handouts

on a copier.

• The room selected for the program should be

accessible to those with wheelchairs or walkers,

and an accessible restroom should be nearby.

Needed for the program

• A round table or tables

• Piano

• Nametags

• A worship book and a Bible for each participant

• Copies of program handouts included with this

resource in the Appendices. (Resources of the

congregation may be used in addition to or

instead of those provided.)

• Optional: additional print references (such as

a Bible concordance or Indexes to Evangelical

Lutheran Worship) or Internet access to an

online Bible reference such as the Oremus Bible

Browser, found at http://bible.oremus.org

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Adapting this program

• The program might be started or concluded with

a dessert or meal potluck, giving a nod to the

all-important “funeral lunch.” For a mini-retreat,

the potluck would work well between the morning

and afternoon sessions. This fellowship time is

also a great time to encourage participants to

share stories of funerals and funeral hymns.

• By using the local church and community

“people resources” available, this core program

can expand readily into a retreat or multi-session

program. There are many important “last things”

that merit attention, including grief and dying,

funeral planning, end-of-life wishes, organ

donation and estate planning.

• Even as written, the program can be expanded

into two sessions. The group might spend more

time with Activity 1: Thought Questions and

the Gathering Activity at the beginning, and

then spend more time with the reﬂections and

personal funeral planning.

• Individuals contemplating their own or a loved

one’s funeral service may ﬁnd it helpful to

work through this program (and its resource

attachments in the Appendices) on their own.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Gather the funeral-planning resources offered

to families in your congregation. Have copies

available for participants as supplements to the

materials provided with this resource, or use your

congregation’s resources instead of the lists of

Scripture texts and hymns provided here.

Adapt the handouts to reﬂect the worship book(s)

you use if you are not using Evangelical Lutheran

Worship (ELW). Note that the Matching Exercise

Key (Appendices, p. 17) offers hymn numbers for

Lutheran Book of Worship and With One Voice as well

as for ELW.

Customize Handout A: Thought Questions

(Appendices, p. 13) with your program details and

distribute it in advance to all likely participants.

The handout is designed to invite and welcome

participants as well as to give them a chance to do

some thinking in advance. The introverts in your

group especially will appreciate that opportunity.

If you feel that your group would not welcome

“homework,” wait to distribute it until indicated

during the program.

Consider the reﬂections offered in the Appendices.

You may wish to invite one or more participants in

advance to reﬂect on the hymns and texts they chose

for a funeral.

Ask participants to bring a Bible and, if they have

one, a personal copy of the worship book.

Preparing for the program: Notes to the facilitator

After reviewing an early version of this program,

Nancy J. Stelling, former editor of Lutheran

Woman Today, recalled the planning she and

her husband Gary did after the death of Gary’s

mother Frona.

Maybe not surprisingly, the section [of this

resource] that spoke to me the most was

the Reﬂections section, with its six personal

stories, each one precious in its own right.

What it did for me, right away, was make

me think, “If I’d been asked to provide a

reﬂection for this section of the program,

what would I have written about?”

For me it would have been Frona’s sudden

death and the three funerals we decided

to hold for her in three different parts of

the country to give those who knew her the

chance to mourn and rejoice in person with

the family. And how we decided to use Psalm

116:15 as the focal Scripture passage in the

services. Frona and I had just come across

that passage in our devotions a few days

before her untimely death. Psalm 116:15

reads: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is

the death of his faithful ones.”

You do suggest inviting one or more

participants to reﬂect on the hymns and

texts they chose for a funeral. It might

be interesting to go a step beyond that

and suggest that participants (maybe as

“homework”) write a brief reﬂection from

their “funeral experience.” Groups, if they

wished, could share those reﬂections with the

congregation, encouraging still others to think

about the same.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Gathering Activity, Part I

Materials needed:

Copies for each participant of Handout B: Matching

Exercise (Appendices, p. 15), customized, if

necessary, to include hymn numbers from the

worship book(s) used by your congregation

As participants assemble, encourage them to work

in small groups to complete the Matching Exercise.

Asking groups to form as participants arrive may

encourage participants to mix in new ways. The

exercise is also offered to engage participants quickly

in the texts and hymns of funerals.

It’s likely that groups will have time to complete

only the hymn portion of the exercise. Let the group

know that after the opening hymn you’ll complete

the exercise together. You may want to invite a few

experienced participants to begin with the Bible

passages instead of the hymns. Assign volunteers to

read one or more of the Bible passages later in the

session.

Encourage the small groups to welcome late arrivers.

Discourage competition; the exercise is not a test or

contest.

Opening

Warmly welcome participants.

Share the purpose and scope of the program: “The

purpose of our time together is to claim and proclaim

the living hope found in the hymns and Scripture

texts of funerals. This program is focused speciﬁcally

on hymnal music and Bible readings. It is not meant

to be an exhaustive review of music or texts, nor is it

intended to be actual funeral planning. That said, we

hope that you’ll leave here with ideas for the Bible

texts and hymns that will help tell your faith story at

your funeral or memorial service. We also hope that

this program will encourage you to begin or continue

this conversation with loved ones.”

Transition to the opening hymn: “We live in the here

and not yet. With grieving hearts and tear-ﬁlled eyes,

we can still sing Alleluia because we know that our

redeemer lives.”

Opening hymn suggestions:

ELW 619 I Know That My Redeemer Lives! (stanzas

1, 7, 8)

ELW 367 Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds

Gathering Activity, Part II

Quickly review the hymn titles in the Matching

Exercise. As you go along, encourage participants to

share whether a hymn is a favorite or if it’s new to

them.

Ask participants who volunteered in the ﬁrst part

of the Gathering Activity to read the assigned

Bible passages in the order in which they’re listed.

Together as a group, decide on the summary or

key words. Invite people to share a connection to a

passage. For example, “This was read at my dad’s

funeral,” or “This is my conﬁrmation verse.”

As a group, complete the “Match” section of the

Matching Exercise sheet by deciding on the hymns

and Bible verses which match. If the group needs

help, the pianist should start playing the hymn.

Activity 1: Thought Questions

Materials needed:

Copies of Handout A: Thought Questions

(Appendices, p. 13) which participants have

completed ahead of time

Acknowledge and afﬁrm those participants who

completed the Thought Questions handout ahead of

time. (If the handout was not distributed in advance,

Presenting the program: Instructions for the facilitator

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

distribute it now.) If your program will extend over

two sessions, spend some time exploring participant

responses. Otherwise, focus on one of the questions

about hymns and one of the questions about Bible

passages.

Ask people to introduce themselves to their small

group or the whole group by saying their name, a

favorite hymn and whether they’ve ever helped to

plan a funeral or memorial service.

Optional:

Review the funeral liturgy in the worship book

(Evangelical Lutheran Worship, pages 279-285). Ask

these questions:

Why do you think the service includes the

“Thanksgiving for Baptism”?

When we are baptized in Christ, we are baptized into

his death and resurrection.

A faith journey, begun at baptism, is celebrated at

the funeral and continued in eternal life.

What about funerals and memorial services reminds

you of Easter?

At a funeral we proclaim that Jesus died and

rose again, and we claim that we, too, shall have

resurrection life.

Belief in the resurrection is at the core of our faith;

hope in the resurrection is the core of our comfort

when we grieve.

Activity 2: Comfort, Connect, Christ

Materials needed:

• Copies of all or some of the reﬂections

(Appendices, pp. 18-23):

• Reﬂection A: All Are Welcome

• Reﬂection B: Circles of Our Lives

• Reﬂection C: Do Not Be Afraid

• Reﬂection D: On John 3:16

• Reﬂection E: Lead Me Home

• Reﬂection F: The Formula and/or pre-arranged

reﬂections from selected participants

• Copies of all or some of the reference sheets

(Appendices, pp. 24-32)

• Reference Sheet A: Funeral Liturgy Information

Sheet

• Reference Sheet B: Hymns for the Funeral

(Sample 1)

• Reference Sheet C: Hymns for the Funeral

(Sample 2)

• Reference Sheet D: Scripture Readings for the

Funeral (Sample 1)

• Reference Sheet E: Scripture Readings for the

Funeral (Sample 2) and/or funeral resources from

your congregation

The heart of the program is to introduce the idea that

the hymns and Bible passages chosen for a funeral

can work together to comfort, connect and proclaim

Christ.

First ‘C’: Comfort and console the grieving

The gathering prayer of the funeral service beautifully

summarizes the comfort of a funeral:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, the source of all mercy and the God of all

consolation, who comforts us in our sorrows so that

we can comfort others in their sorrows with the

consolation we ourselves have received from God.

(ELW, p. 279)

Have participants consider the reference sheets of

hymn and text suggestions (Appendices) or similar

lists from your congregation. Ask this question:

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

What hymns or Scripture texts do you ﬁnd especially

comforting? Why?

Ask participants to shift their focus to the mourners

who attend a funeral. Encourage them to make it

personal by recalling or imagining a family funeral.

Ask this question:

What funeral choices—especially hymns and texts—

would your family ﬁnd especially comforting? Why?

“For my husband’s funeral I chose hymns familiar to

both Lutherans and Roman Catholics.”

“I was comforted knowing that my mom chose the

hymns to be sung at her funeral.”

“My family (are, are not) singers, so…”

“My sister-in-law took her dad’s death very hard. It

was comforting to her, and therefore comforting to

the rest of the family, to sing…”

Second ‘C’: Connect to the saint who died and the saints

gathered in grief

Funeral choices—music, readings, sermon—should

be different from one service to the next because

the saint who died and the saints who gather in grief

are different. Grief attends every funeral, but the

grief is different depending on the circumstances of

death and the realities of those who mourn. A funeral

service is most comforting when it connects to, when

it is congruent with, the mourners. For example, for

an elderly pastor’s funeral, hymns that triumphantly

proclaim the faith would likely be a great comfort.

For the funeral of a child, though, triumphant hymns

of faith may hurt more than help.

Funeral hymns and Scripture texts offer mourners

the comfort of remembering when those choices

connect to the unique person who has died. Imagine

the “good tears” shed when singing a harvest hymn

for the funeral of a farmer or “Earth and All Stars”

(ELW 731) for the funeral of a teacher. Imagine the

comfort of hearing that “nothing can separate us

from the love of God” (Romans 8:31–35, 37–39) at

the funeral of someone who took his or her own life.

Funeral choices that connect to the church year can

open new meanings and offer unexpected comfort.

A funeral held during Advent, for instance, might

incorporate hymns and Scripture texts emphasizing

the expectant nature of all of life that is now fulﬁlled

for the loved one who has died.

Invite participants to share “connecting” stories

from funerals they’ve attended or planned. Ask this

question:

How did a hymn or text connect with the person

who died, the people gathered to mourn or the

church year?

How might funeral choices, especially hymn and

Scripture choices, “connect” to the person who

died and the people who gather for the funeral?

Ask this question if you have time and if your

group is eager to contribute to the discussion.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

A few or many of those gathered for a funeral—

family, friends, friends of family—may be of a

different faith tradition, be lapsed church members

or be unchurched. Ask this question:

What are some examples of “connecting choices”

that might offer the comfort of welcome and

invitation to visitors at funerals?

• Asking the pastor to speciﬁcally welcome all

Christians to the Lord’s Table

• Choosing hymns familiar to the faith traditions of

“both sides” of the family

• Having a soloist or “requiem choir” instead of all

congregational singing

• Printing all responses, including the Lord’s

Prayer, in the bulletin

Third ‘C’: Proclaim Christ

We gather for a funeral “in the name of Jesus, the

Savior of the world.” We gather to worship and “to

proclaim Christ cruciﬁed and risen” (ELW, p. 279).

We are an Easter people; our funeral choices claim

and proclaim our living hope of resurrection in Christ.

Some funeral choices proclaim Christ with gentle

hymns of remembrance; others are triumphant

proclamations of faith. All Christian funerals will

preach the good news of Christ’s victory over death.

Ask these questions:

What is your favorite hymn that gently proclaims and

claims a living hope in Christ?

What is your favorite hymn that offers a strong

proclamation of that faith?

Together as a group, generate lists of “gentle” hymns

and “strong” hymns. See “Reference Sheet C” (p.

28) for suggestions.

Exercise: Considering the ‘3 Cs’

Consider one or more of the reﬂections provided

in the Appendices and/or reﬂections written by

participants to ﬁnd hymn and Scripture choices

that offered comfort and connections and pointed to

Christ. Depending on the size of your group, you may

want to break into smaller groups. In that case, you

could assign each small group a different reﬂection

to consider before you bring the groups back together

for a summary discussion. There are no right or wrong

answers here, and a choice can cover all three “Cs.”

This exercise is designed to help participants move

beyond only “picking favorites” to making funeral

choices that comfort, connect and proclaim Christ.

For example, have participants consider the reﬂection

“Circles of Our Lives” by Linda Post Bushkofsky (p.

19). Examples of the three “Cs” might include these:

Comfort: All the texts and “O Blessed Spring,” which

is especially meaningful to Linda.

Connections: “Blessed Assurance” connected to

her mother’s Southern Baptist roots. The Isaiah text

connected to the church season (Advent).

Proclaim Christ: John 11:21-27

Optional:

Exercise: Bringing it home

If possible, allow people time to quietly consider

the hymn and Scripture choices they might

suggest for their own funeral, keeping in mind

the importance of comforting and connecting to

those who attend the funeral. Now is also a good

time to remind people that hymn and text choices

for one’s own funeral are intended to be shared

as a loving gift, not as a controlling directive.

(See Reﬂection A: All Are Welcome, p. 18)

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Here are a few of the “Cs” to note in the other

reﬂections, pp. 18-22:

• “All Are Welcome”: “Healer of Our Every Ill” was

comforting; “All Are Welcome” was connecting

(inviting). The brass band Syd plans for her dad’s

funeral will be connecting and comforting.

• “Do Not Be Afraid”: Hymns chosen by

Sarah’s late husband and her young children

offered comfort and connection. “Lord of All

Hopefulness” connected to her husband, who

was an engineer known for his carpentry projects.

“You Are Mine” offered a gentle proclamation of

Christ.

• “On John 3:16”: The Scripture text connected

and proclaimed Christ.

• “Lead Me Home”: Imagine the connection,

comfort and assurance of a living hope in Christ

offered when singing “Precious Lord, take my

hand, lead me on, let me stand,” at the funeral

of someone who suffered from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s

disease).

Closing

Arrange with someone to offer the closing prayer,

asking her to include petitions that allow participants

to name in prayer people who are ill and people who

are grieving.

Closing hymn suggestions:

ELW 732 Borning Cry

ELW 543 Go, My Children, with My Blessing

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Appendices

clusters/conferences and synodical women’s organizations provided each copy is reproduced in its entirety, unless otherwise indicated by the material, and

carries this copyright notice. Please direct all other requests for permission to reproduce to [email protected].

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

HANDOUT A

Thought Questions

The purpose of the program is to “claim and proclaim

the living hope found in the hymns and Scripture

texts of funerals.” Many participants will leave the

program with hymn and text ideas for their own

funeral or the funeral of a loved one. The “thought

questions” below will help you prepare for the

program. You will ﬁnd it helpful to have handy a

worship book and your Bible as you consider the

questions. As time permits, please complete the

worksheet before coming to the program.

Please bring this handout with you to the program.

If you are unable to complete it ahead of time, don’t

worry, just come! You are welcome, you are most

welcome.

When:

[Date, start and anticipated end time]

Where:

[Specify the location within the church building]

Details:

[Leaders, a note about refreshments, etc.]

Recall Scripture texts and hymns that have special

meaning for you.

What Bible verses do you know “by heart?”

Note one or two below with as much detail as

you remember. For example, “For God so loved

the world that he gave his only Son, so that

everyone who believes in him may not perish

but may have eternal life” (John 3:16) — my

conﬁrmation verse. If you have an Internet

connection on your computer, it’s easy to check

your memory using the Oremus Bible Browser

(http://bible.oremus.org).

1. Name two or three of your favorite hymns,

noting why these hymns make your heart sing.

For example, “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”

(ELW 836), because it was sung at my wedding.

If such a task seems daunting, consider your

favorite hymns for a church season, such as

Christmas.

2. Do you associate a hymn or Bible verse with

someone who is or was dear to you? For example,

My friend’s favorite hymn is “You Have Come

Down to the Lakeshore” (ELW 817).

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Recall funeral hymns and Scripture texts that have

special meaning for you.

3. Do you associate a hymn or text with someone’s

funeral? For example, “You Who Dwell in the

Shelter of the Lord” (ELW 787) was sung at my

mother’s funeral service, so now when it’s sung

at church I remember her and shed some “good

tears.”

4. Do you remember a hymn or text from a funeral

you’ve attended? Why did it make an impression?

For example, In December I attended a very sad

memorial service. One of the hymns was “In the

Bleak Midwinter” (ELW 294); it ﬁt the season

and the mood.

5. Have you selected funeral hymns and Scripture

texts for someone else’s funeral or in anticipation

of your own? What did you choose? Why?

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

HANDOUT B

Matching Exercise

Work in pairs or small groups to complete the following exercise. First, look up and review the hymns, noting

the titles in the ﬁrst chart. Then, look up the Bible passages and jot down a summary or key words in the

second chart. Finally, in the third column of the ﬁrst chart, match each hymn to its corresponding text.

ELW Hymn # Hymn Title Match

#379

#422

#438

#449

#485

#613

Thy Holy Wings 2

#619

#622

Neither Death nor Life 6

#728

#780

#787

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Bible Passage Summary/Key Words

1. Job 19:23–27

2. Isaiah 66:10–14

As a mother comforts a child

3. Psalm 23

4. Psalm 91

5. Romans 6:3–9

6. Romans 8:31–35, 37–39

Nothing can separate us from the love of God

7. 1 Corinthians 15:51–57

8. Revelation 7:9–17

9. John 11:21–27

10. Matthew 5:1–10

11. John 12:23–28

HANDOUT B

Matching Exercise, page 2

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

ELW Hymn # Hymn Title Match

# 379 “Now the Green Blade Rises” (LBW 148) 11

# 422 “For All the Saints” (LBW 174) 8

# 438 “My Lord, What a Morning” (WOV 627) 7

# 449 “We Know That Christ Is Raised” (LBW 189) 5

# 485 “I Am the Bread of Life” (WOV 702) 9

# 613 “Thy Holy Wings” (LBW 741) 2

# 619 “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (LBW 352) 1

# 622 “Neither Death nor Life” 6

# 728 “Blest Are They” (WOV 764) 10

# 780 “Shepherd Me, O God” or “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”

(LBW 456)

# 787 “On Eagle’s Wings” (WOV 779) 4

Bible Passage Summary/key words

1. Job 19:23–27 I know that my Redeemer lives

2. Isaiah 66:10–14 As a mother comforts a child

3. Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd

4. Psalm 91 Dwelling in the shelter of the Lord

5. Romans 6:3–9 Baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection

6. Romans 8:31–35, 37–39 Nothing can separate us from the love of God

7. 1 Corinthians 15:51–57 Death is swallowed up in victory

8. Revelation 7:9–17 God will wipe away every tear

9. John 11:21–27 I am the resurrection and the life; “will rise again on the last day”

10. Matthew 5:1–10 Blessed are they who mourn

11. John 12:23–28 A grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, yielding a rich harvest

Matching Exercise Key

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

I recently attended a funeral where the music really

spoke to me. The opening fanfare, “Go Tell It on

the Mountain,” and hymn, “All Are Welcome,” were

inviting and inclusive. We were comforted in our

sorrow as we sang “Healer of Our Every Ill” and were

sent off with “My Life Flows On in Endless Song,” a

ﬁtting summary of my friend’s life.

Even though I will not hear the texts or the songs at

my own funeral, I think about my funeral because, if

my husband survives me, he will want some direction.

My most important funeral planning, though, would

be for my father and my husband. I would want my

husband’s funeral to celebrate what his life and our

lives together have meant to me. I would ﬁnd comfort

thinking about my father’s crooked ﬁnger silently

conducting the brass band he’d like (and I would

arrange to have) at his funeral service.

Until recently, my father was a hospice volunteer, and

he and my late mother took hospice training together.

In that training they were asked to plan each other’s

funeral, not their own. I thought that odd at ﬁrst, but

Mom explained that chosen texts and songs are to

give comfort to those attending the funeral. My father

made choices for my mother’s funeral that would be

of special comfort to him, and vice versa.

A few years ago, my husband had a near-death

experience. It reminded me that our lives can be

changed in an instant. Though we may not have a lot

of time to prepare funeral plans, we can plan to be

prepared. We have so much life to celebrate in death!

Syd Brinkman

St. James Lutheran Church

Allison, Iowa

REFLECTION A

All Are Welcome

Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard

and loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words within the Word.

Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace,

let this house proclaim from ﬂoor to rafter: All are welcome,

all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

“All Are Welcome”*

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

REFLECTION B

Circles of Our Lives

As winter comes, as winters must, we breathe our last, return to dust;

still held in Christ, our souls take wing and trust the promise of the spring.

“O Blessed Spring”*

My husband and I selected three hymns for my

mother’s funeral service this past December:

• “Blessed Assurance” (ELW 638), a nod to my

mother’s Southern Baptist roots;

• “O Blessed Spring” (ELW 447), a hauntingly

beautiful text that so aptly describes the circle of

our lives—I picked that one just for me; and

• “Lord of All Hopefulness” (ELW 765), a hope-

ﬁlled sending.

We knew those gathered for the funeral would not be

many and some would have few connections to the

Christian life. The ﬁrst and third hymns are set to

familiar enough tunes that we expected most to easily

sing along, and they did. Even some who regularly

worship were not familiar with the tune for “O Blessed

Spring.” My husband’s strong voice had to carry the

tune for us all when we came to the fourth verse

and tears consumed me despite the hopeful picture

painted by those words.

The texts we used were Isaiah 40:1–11, 28–31

(“Comfort, O comfort my people…Prepare the way

of the Lord”); Romans 14:7–9 (“We do not live to

ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves”); and John

11:21–27 (“I am the resurrection and the life”).

Linda Post Bushkofsky

Executive director, Women of the ELCA

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church

Arlington Heights, Ill.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Music was always important to my husband Curt,

and he was known to belt out a hymn so he could be

heard at least ﬁve or six pews ahead. He always sang

with gusto and joy (and an invented lyric or two), and

I wanted to capture some of that joy in the hymns we

chose for his funeral.

As Curt’s brain tumor progressed, it was astonishing

how music could reach him even when other means

of communicating failed. I asked Anne Krentz Organ,

St. Luke’s director of music ministries, to come to

Curt’s hospital room with a keyboard so we could

play some hymns for him. About 10 days before his

death, Anne and Pastor Stephen Larson were among

the small group gathered around Curt’s bedside. We

sang our way through about a dozen hymns, several

of which had Curt smiling and tapping his toes. I

really believe that in many ways Curt chose his own

funeral hymns.

The hymns we chose for his funeral were:

ELW 781 Children of the Heavenly Father

ELW 780 Shepherd Me, O God

ELW 765 Lord of All Hopefulness (It’s an

irresistible reference to carpentry.)

ELW 728 Blest Are They

ELW 581 You Are Mine (Our children chose this

one.)

ELW 342 There in God’s Garden

If anything, these hymns are more beautiful and

more poignant to me now than ever. I will never hear

them in exactly the same way again.

Sarah Post

St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Park Ridge, Ill.

REFLECTION C

Do Not Be Afraid

Do not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by name.

Come and follow me, I will bring you home; I love you and you are mine.

“You Are Mine”*

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

We did not make it to my Ohio hometown before

my mom, Alice Andrews, died. I got the phone call

saying the time of her death was 4:16 p.m., Eastern

Standard Time. When I relayed the news to a friend

back in Chicago, he said, “Well, that’s 3:16 Central

Time.”

With that we knew the Gospel text for Mom’s funeral:

John 3:16. At the funeral, my son Matt read Isaiah

25:6–9 (“God will wipe away the tears from all

faces”) and offered a brief reﬂection as he showed

the “John 3:16” stone carving from Pastor Karen

Kaye’s ofﬁce. Later, Pastor Karen mailed the carving

to Matt; it means a lot to him.

We learned last week that Pastor Karen died

unexpectedly the night before Thanksgiving (almost

two years to the day of my mom’s death), after

ofﬁciating at a funeral earlier that day. She was 46

years old. For all the saints…

Barbara Andrews

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

St. Charles, Ill.

REFLECTION D

On John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not perish

but may have eternal life.

John 3:16

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

My husband Wayne and I had talked for years about

planning our funerals. In 2007, when Wayne was

diagnosed with ALS (which some people know as Lou

Gehrig’s disease), we went ahead and independently

planned our own funerals.

Wayne had a strong faith in the Lord and loved

singing in the church choir; therefore, choosing

hymns for his funeral was an easy task for him.

Holding the number of hymns to a few…not so easy.

Singing in church was one of the many ways Wayne

had of expressing his faith in Christ. Choosing hymns

such as “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” (ELW 697),

“Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound” (ELW 779),

“Precious Lord, Take My Hand” (ELW 773), and

“Shepherd Me, O God” (ELW 780) expressed his

heart-felt closeness to his Lord.

Wayne was a member of a choir at St. Luke’s, and

after he could no longer attend church, Anne Krentz

Organ, the choir director, offered to arrange for choir

members to come to our home and sing to Wayne.

For a time Wayne postponed the visit; although

he fully accepted his diagnosis and prognosis, he

connected that proposed visit with a closeness to

death. Anne was willing to wait until Wayne was

ready to receive the choir and their gifts of music.

The time did come when choir members came for a

visit, and it was a glorious occasion! The choir sang

hymns that Wayne had chosen for his funeral service,

and he sang right along with them. It was almost as

if he were present at the service he had planned.

Especially knowing the love behind the visit, this

special event will remain in my heart forever.

On the day of Wayne’s funeral, a Requiem Choir

was formed to lead the congregation in song and

praise. Having a Requiem Choir present at a funeral

is a service provided by St. Luke’s to all families

that request it. For all of Wayne’s family, it was a

wonderful experience seeing the choir in the loft

raising their voices in praise, knowing they were

singing what Wayne had chosen for his ﬁnal church

service on earth.

Joanna Anderson

St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Park Ridge, Ill.

REFLECTION E

Lead Me Home

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand,

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. …

Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

“Precious Lord, Take My Hand”

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

As funeral directors, my parents had a quiet ministry

helping area clergy lead good funerals. Kermit and

Norma knew what they meant by a “good” funeral

and offered this formula:

A good funeral = Gospel story + personal story.

A great funeral, by the way, connects the Gospel and

personal stories in meaningful ways.

“It’s about balance,” Mom explained. When a funeral

is heavy with personal story, the assembled may

miss the rest of the story: death is defeated. They

may miss the comfort of a sure hope in Christ’s

resurrection.

When a funeral is light on personal story, the

gathered may miss the comfort of remembering.

Sadly, my mom’s funeral sermon illustrates the

point. Though the sermon the pastor seemed to have

pulled from his ﬁle could have been good on paper,

it wasn’t a good funeral sermon because it offered no

connection to my mom or her faithful life. It’s been

19 years, but I remember I didn’t shed a tear until

the soloist sang “On Eagle’s Wings.”

These days, as a frequent member of my

congregation’s Requiem Choir, time and again I’ve

witnessed the blessing of balanced funeral and

memorial services. Personal story and Gospel story

are beautifully and profoundly connected. With tears

and laughter, those gathered in grief claim, proclaim

and cling to a living hope.

Sue Edison-Swift

St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Park Ridge, Ill.

REFLECTION F

The Formula

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Matthew 5:4

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

THE FUNERAL LITURGY is in Evangelical Lutheran

Worship, pages 279-285. The service can be adapted

for a memorial service without a casket. The burial

service is intended primarily for use in the church,

the most appropriate place for the funeral of a

Christian. Holy Baptism, which marked the beginning

of Christian life and the promise of eternal life, took

place in the church. Other signiﬁcant passages, such

as conﬁrmation and marriage, also occurred in the

church. So it is appropriate that the ﬁnal celebration

of a Christian’s life and death take place in the

church setting, where loved ones are surrounded by

the primary symbols of the Christian faith: cross,

font, altar, lectern, paschal candle. The service can

be adapted when it is held in a funeral home or in

some other location.

HOLY BAPTISM is remembered and celebrated

during the funeral liturgy, which brings out the

connections among Holy Baptism, the resurrection

of Christ, and our hope of eternal life. In Baptism we

became God’s children forever. We are never alone,

even when we die. In Baptism we were marked with

the sign of the cross as these words were spoken:

“Child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy

Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.”

There are several symbols in the funeral liturgy that

point to Baptism and our unity with the death and

resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cofﬁn may

be covered with a pall, recalling the white garment

given in Baptism, the robe of Christ’s righteousness

that clothes us. The pall also reminds us that in

death and before God all people are equal, regardless

of whether the cofﬁn is simple or elaborate. The

white color of the pall is a reminder of Easter and

Christ’s victory over death. The paschal candle,

placed at the head of the cofﬁn, is also a symbol of

Easter. The candle is lit at the Easter Vigil, during the

Easter season, and at baptisms and funerals.

HOLY COMMUNION can be a great source of strength

and peace at a funeral service. Sharing the bread

of life and the cup of blessing can be especially

comforting at the time of loss, for God is present not

only in words, but also through eating and drinking at

the Lord’s Table. Through this intimate meal we are

given strength, hope and the promise of eternal life.

For those who ﬁnd Holy Communion to be central

to their Sunday worship life, it will seem natural to

celebrate the Eucharist at the occasion of a funeral.

THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD IS AN EASTER

LITURGY. The feelings of grief and desolation are

recognized and given expression at a funeral, but the

service also moves beyond them to a conﬁdent hope.

Both the sadness and joy must be seen together,

each tempered by the other. The liturgy makes the

bold proclamation that each baptized member has

been united into a death with Christ and will thus

share in his glorious resurrection.

THE SERVICE OF COMMITTAL is used when the

body is brought to its ﬁnal resting place, usually a

cemetery. Although the common practice now is for

mourners to depart after the ﬁnal words are spoken,

mourners are encouraged, whenever possible, to stay

to see the body lowered into the grave, rather than to

REFERENCE SHEET A

Funeral Liturgy Information Sheet

Compiled for use by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago. Ill.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

remember its resting on top of the device by which

it will later be lowered. This can give the family and

other mourners a clearer memory of what happened

to the body. Some earth is cast on the cofﬁn as a

reminder of the earth from which we came and in

which now we rest.

A MEAL at the church or someone’s home often

follows the burial. This gathering allows people to

renew old friendships, to reconnect family ties, and

to express emotions in various ways. The shared meal

is an afﬁrmation of life in the face of death.

Lutheran, Chicago, Ill. (www.holytrinitychicago.org). May be reprinted for local use as part of Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture,

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Funeral hymns for any time of the year

629 Abide with Me

468 Around You, O Lord Jesus

362 At the Lamb’s High Feast

425 Behold the Host Arrayed in White

728 Blest Are They

656 Blest Be the Tie That Binds

732 Borning Cry

781 Children of the Heavenly Father

607 Come, Ye Disconsolate

855 Crown Him with Many Crowns

790 Day by Day

422 For All the Saints

427 For All Your Saints, O Lord

879 For the Beauty of the Earth

770 Give Me Jesus

428 Give Thanks for Saints

543 Go, My Children, with My Blessing

564 God, Who Made the Earth and Heaven

637 Holy God, Holy and Glorious

414 Holy God, We Praise Your Name

413 Holy, Holy, Holy

636 How Small Our Span of Life

485 I Am the Bread of Life

619 I Know That My Redeemer Lives!

769 If You But Trust in God to Guide You

630 In Heaven Above

867 In Thee Is Gladness

628 Jerusalem, My Happy Home

697 Just a Closer Walk with Thee

660 Lift High the Cross

765 Lord of All Hopefulness

767 Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me

750 Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart

631 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

596, 597 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less

763 My Life Flows On in Endless Song

782 My Shepherd, You Supply My Need

(Psalm 23)

622 Neither Death nor Life

839, 840 Now Thank We All Our God

500 Now We Remain

447 O Blessed Spring

760 O Christ the Same

627 O Day Full of Grace

880 O God beyond All Praising

632 O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Psalm 90)

542 O Living Bread from Heaven

313 O Lord, Now Let Your Servant

441 Oh, Happy Day When We Shall Stand

787 On Eagle’s Wings (Psalm 91)

773 Precious Lord, Take My Hand

418 Rejoice in God’s Saints

REFERENCE SHEET B

Hymns for the Funeral (Sample 1)

Compiled for use by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago, Ill.

Hymns for a funeral service are most appropriate when they express death seen in the context of our baptism

into Jesus’ death and resurrection. Consider the following from Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

423 Shall We Gather at the River

426 Sing with All the Saints in Glory

878 Soli Deo Gloria

488, 489 Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness

654 The Church’s One Foundation

502 The King of Love My Shepherd Is

778 The Lord’s My Shepherd (Psalm 23)

531 The Trumpets Sound, the Angels Sing

342 There in God’s Garden

826 Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise

327 Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow

613 Thy Holy Wings

451 We Are Baptized in Christ Jesus

449 We Know That Christ Is Raised

487 What Feast of Love

666 What Wondrous Love Is This

639 When We Are Living

581 You Are Mine

Funeral hymns for particular liturgical seasons

The Easter hymns listed below are especially

appropriate for a funeral at any time during the year.

Advent

438 My Lord, What a Morning

257 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

264 Prepare the Royal Highway

244 Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers

436 Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying

Christmas

273 All My Heart Again Rejoices

277, 278 Away in a Manger

288 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice

287 Let All Together Praise Our God

272 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming

269 Once in Royal David’s City

286 Your Little Ones, Dear Lord

Epiphany

302 As with Gladness Men of Old

815 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

308 O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright

866 We Are Marching in the Light

Lent/Holy Week

323 God Loved the World

324 In the Cross of Christ I Glory

343 My Song Is Love Unknown

351, 352 O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

811 On My Heart Imprint Your Image

Easter

377 Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen

378 Awake, My Heart, with Gladness

367 Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds

379 Now the Green Blade Rises

366 The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done

376 Thine Is the Glory

368 With High Delight Let Us Unite

Lutheran, Chicago, Ill. (www.holytrinitychicago.org). May be reprinted for local use as part of Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture,

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Triumphant proclamations of faith

377 Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen

422 For All the Saints

618 Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer

856 How Great Thou Art

619 I Know That My Redeemer Lives!

867 In Thee Is Gladness

631 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

627 O Day Full of Grace

632 O God, Our Help in Ages Past

308 O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright!

454 Remember and Rejoice

439 Soon and Very Soon

376 Thine Is the Glory

666 What Wondrous Love Is This

Gentler songs of hope and remembrance

629 Abide with Me

779 Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound

838 Beautiful Savior

728 Blest Are They

732 Borning Cry

781 Children of the Heavenly Father

790 Day by Day

374 Day of Arising

543 Go, My Children, with My Blessing

612 Healer of Our Every Ill

429 In Our Day of Thanksgiving

765 Lord of All Hopefulness

786 O Holy Spirit, Enter In

787 On Eagle’s Wings

423 Shall We Gather at the River

342 There In God’s Garden

613 Thy Holy Wings

785 When Peace like a River

Sung versions of Psalm 23

502 The King of Love My Shepherd Is

778 The Lord’s My Shepherd

780 Shepherd Me, O God

Farewell or acclamation

223 All of Us Go Down to the Dust

222 Into Paradise May the Angels Lead You

313 O Lord, Now Let Your Servant

REFERENCE SHEET C

Hymns for the Funeral (Sample 2)

Compiled by Anne Krentz Organ, director of music ministries, St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Park

Ridge, Ill.

Organ, St. Luke’s Ev. Lutheran, Park Ridge, Ill. (www.stlukespr.org). May be reprinted for local use as part of Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

First lesson

Job 19:23–27a

I know that my Redeemer lives

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

For everything a season

Isaiah 25:6–9

The Lord will swallow up death forever

Isaiah 40:1–11, 28–31

Comfort my people, says your God

Isaiah 43:1–3a, 5–7

I have called you by name

Isaiah 43:1–3a, 18–19

I am about to do a new thing

Isaiah 61:1–3

God comforts all who mourn

Isaiah 65:17–20, 23–25

New heavens and a new earth

Isaiah 66:10–14

As a mother comforts her child

Jeremiah 31:8–13

I will turn their mourning into joy

Lamentations 3:22–26, 31–33

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases

Psalm

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd

Psalm 25:1–10

To you I lift up my soul

Psalm 42:1–7

As a deer longs for ﬂowing streams

Psalm 46:1–7

God is our refuge and strength

Psalm 63

Eagerly I seek you

Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place

Psalm 90

You have been our refuge

Psalm 116

You have delivered my soul from death

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills

Psalm 122

Let us go to the house of the Lord

Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you

Psalm 139:7–12

The gracious omnipresence of the Lord

Psalm 142:1–6

I cry to the Lord with my voice

Psalm 143

Lord, hear my prayer

Second lesson

Romans 5:1–11

Justiﬁed by faith, we have peace with God

Romans 6:3–9

Baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection

Romans 8:14–23

We groan while we wait for the redemption of our

bodies

REFERENCE SHEET D

Scripture Readings for the Funeral (Sample 1)

Compiled for use by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago, Ill.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Romans 8:31–35, 37–39

Nothing can separate us from the love of God

Romans 14:7–12

Whether alive or dead, we belong to the Lord

1 Corinthians 15:12–26

In Christ shall all be made alive

1 Corinthians 15:51–57

Death is swallowed up in victory

2 Corinthians 4:6–12, 16–18

Treasure in clay jars

2 Corinthians 4:14–5:1

What is seen is transitory; what is unseen is eternal

2 Corinthians 5:1, 6–10

We have an everlasting home in heaven

Philippians 3:20–21

Jesus will transﬁgure our bodies to be like his

glorious body

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, 18

We shall stay with the Lord forever

2 Timothy 2:8–13

If we have died with him, we shall live with him

1 John 3:1–2

We shall see God as God really is

Revelation 7:9–17

God will wipe away every tear

Revelation 21:2–7

Behold, I make all things new

Revelation 22:1–5

The Lord God will be their light

Holy Gospel

Matthew 5:1–10

Blessed are those who mourn

Matthew 11:25–30

Come to me and I will give you rest

Matthew 25:1–13

The bridegroom is coming; come out to meet him

Mark 16:1–7

The resurrection of Christ

Luke 2:25–32 (or 2:25–40)

Simeon is able to die in peace

Luke 23:33, 39–43

Today you will be with me in paradise

Luke 24:13–35

The road to Emmaus

John 1:1–5, 9–14

The light shines in the darkness

John 6:37–40

All that the Father gives me will come to me

John 6:51–58

All who eat this bread will live forever; I will raise

them up on the last day

John 10:11–16

I am the good shepherd

John 11:21–27 (or 11:32–45)

I am the resurrection and the life

John 12:23–28

If a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it

yields a rich harvest

John 14:1–6

In my Father’s house there are many rooms

John 14:25–27

Peace I leave with you

Lutheran, Chicago, Ill. (www.holytrinitychicago.org). May be reprinted for local use as part of Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture,

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

Old Testament readings

Numbers 6:22–27

The Lord bless you and keep you

Job 19:23–27a

I know that my Redeemer lives

Ecclesiastes 3:1–9

For everything there is a season, and a time for every

purpose

Isaiah 25:6–9

God will swallow up death forever

Isaiah 40:1–2; 11; 28–31

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God

Isaiah 61:1–3

The Lord has anointed me…to bind up the

brokenhearted

Lamentations 3:22–26, 31–33

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want

Psalm 30

You have turned my mourning into dancing

Psalm 42

Hope in God, for I shall again praise him

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in

trouble

Psalm 90

So teach us to count our days that we may gain a

wise heart

Psalm 118

O give thanks to the Lord…steadfast love endures

forever

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my

help come?

Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord

Psalm 131

Hope in the Lord from this time on and forevermore

Psalm 139:1–16

Where can I go from your spirit?

Psalm 143

Hear my prayer, O Lord

Proverbs 31:10–15, 21, 26–31

A good wife who can ﬁnd? Her children…call her

blessed

Ezekiel 34:11–16a

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep

New Testament readings

Matthew 5:1–12

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be

comforted

Matthew 11:28–30

Come to me…and I will give you rest

Mark 10:13–16

Let the little children come to me

Luke 2: 25–32

Now you are dismissing your servant in peace…for

my eyes have seen your salvation

John 3:16–17

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son

John 5:24–29

…all who are in their graves will hear his voice

REFERENCE SHEET E

Scripture Readings for the Funeral – Sample 2

Compiled by the Rev. Stephen Larson for St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Park Ridge, Ill.

Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and Scripture

A resource from Women of the ELCA

John 6:37–40

I will raise them up on the last day

John 11:21–27

I am the resurrection and the life

John 14:1–6

I am the way, and the truth, and the life

John 14:18–21

…because I live, you also will live

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you

Romans 5:1–11

While we were yet sinners Christ died for us

Romans 5:17–21

Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more

Romans 8:31–35, 36–37

[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of

God

Romans 12:9–13, 15–16, 21

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who

weep

Romans 14:7–9

Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s

1 Corinthians 13:1–13

…the greatest of these is love

1 Corinthians 15:12–26

Christ has been raised from the dead

Philippians 4:8–9

…the God of peace will be with you

1 Thessalonians 4:13–15

…that you may not grieve as others do who have no

hope

1 Peter 1:3–9

…a new birth into a living hope through the

resurrection

1 John 3:1–2

Beloved, we are God’s children now

1 John 4:7–12

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from

God

Revelation 7:9–17

Who are these robed in white? …God will wipe away

every tear

Revelation 21:1–7

Death will be no more

Larson, St. Luke’s Ev. Lutheran, Park Ridge, Ill. (www.stlukespr.org). May be reprinted for local use as part of Living Hope: Funeral Hymns and