Funeral Order of Service Examples for a Non Religious Ceremony

Update: 17th May 2023

A funeral order of service is more than just a book of songs and poems. It’s a tribute to your loved one, and a memorable keepsake those attending the service.

If you’re planning a humanist or non-religious funeral for a loved one, it can be tricky knowing exactly what to put in the order of service. The demand for non-religious funerals is increasing, but people often don’t know the best way to celebrate the life of their loved one outside a traditional, religious format.

To help you out, here are some funeral order of service examples for a non-religious ceremony.

Non-religious Ceremony Examples
 

1. Add Colour

   When looking for funeral order of service examples you will usually find that they’re black and white. But if you’re celebrating the life of someone who brightened up everyone’s day, adding a pop of colour to the order of service cover is a great way to break tradition and pay tribute to that fantastic quality of your loved one. 
    
   

   (Songbird Stationery)

   
   
   This example keeps it subtle with watercolour flowers. We chose this because the colour frames the image of the life being celebrated, rather than distracting attention away from them. This would be a fantastic funeral programme for a non-traditional, atheist, humanist or non-religious ceremony.
    

2. Include Poems, Songs and Readings

   Hymns are a common feature in funeral services, but if your loved one wasn’t religious it is often more fitting and personal to choose poems and readings they loved or as a tribute to them. Ask family members to perform readings and choose poems to include in the order of service so that everyone who wants to feels that they can give a fitting farewell.
    
   

   (theorderofservice.com)

   
   
   This non-religious funeral order of service example uses both poems and music rather than hymns. The poems are read by the deceased’s daughter and granddaughter, and the music choices are personal choices that are a fitting tribute without being religious.



3. Hand Out Memorial Bookmarks

   Funeral bookmarks are another non-religious, atheist and humanist alternative to orders of service that aren’t going to include hymns. Hymns are normally fully included in the order of service booklet so guests can sing along during the ceremony whereas song lyrics are usually left out. This means you can list the full order of service on a bookmark, for example:
   
   •    Entrance Music
   •    Welcome and Opening Words
   •    Poetry Reading
   •    Tribute
   •    Reflection Music
   •    Poetry Reading
   •    Closing Words
   •    Exit Music
   
   Follow these with your choices of songs, poems and readings as well as who will be reading them and their relation to the friend or relative you are celebrating.
    
   

   (Next Gen Memorials)

   
   
   This funeral order of service example acts as a keepsake for guests. We love that there’s a small paper heart attached to each bookmark filled with forget-me-not seeds for guests to plant in memory of their loved one. 

Creating and printing your own orders of service to celebrate a loved one’s life is a perfect tribute. Whether you choose a traditional booklet style, a folded funeral sheet or something a little different like a bookmark, there’s no better way to add a personal touch to such an important memento. Print your non-religious funeral order of service today.

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