Short answer
A Lutheran funeral is a service of the Word for the living, shaped by the funeral rite in the congregation's service book: Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW), Lutheran Service Book (LSB) or the older Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW). It gathers at the font and the paschal candle, reads Scripture, sings, hears a Law-and-Gospel sermon, commends the dead to God, and ends at the grave with the committal.
Searchers who type "lutheran funeral service template" usually want two things at once: the shape of the whole service, and something to say in the sermon. Most pages give one or the other. This guide gives the order first, because the sermon only makes sense once you can see where it sits, and then a sermon outline that fits the Lutheran shape rather than a generic eulogy.
Everything below is general. The exact words of the rite belong to your service book, and the pastor's edition carries the rubrics. Where ELW, LSB and LBW differ, I say so and stop; I do not reproduce their texts.
Order of service a pastor can adapt
This is the common shape across the Lutheran service books. Items in parentheses are the ones most often omitted or moved.
- Gathering. The coffin is received at the door, often covered with the pall, and the paschal candle stands near it. The pastor may speak words that recall baptism (Thanksgiving for Baptism in ELW), because a Lutheran funeral begins where the Christian life began.
- Procession and entrance hymn. A hymn of resurrection, not of loss, sets the service in Easter.
- Greeting and prayer of the day.
- First reading, from the Old Testament. Psalm, read or sung. Second reading, from the Epistles. Gospel acclamation and Gospel.
- Sermon. Preached by the pastor after the Gospel. In the Lutheran shape the sermon is proclamation of Christ for the mourners, not a eulogy about the deceased.
- (Remembrance.) If the family wishes, a brief remembrance by one or two people is placed before the readings or after the sermon, kept clearly separate from the sermon. Many pastors set a time limit and ask for the text in advance.
- Hymn of the day.
- Apostles' Creed, the baptismal creed.
- Prayers of intercession, with the Lord's Prayer.
- (Holy Communion.) Some congregations celebrate the Lord's Supper at a funeral; the service book provides for it. The pastor decides with the family.
- Commendation. The pastor commends the dead to God by name; this is the emotional summit of the rite.
- Sending. Closing hymn and dismissal; the coffin leads the procession out, the paschal candle before it.
- Committal at the graveside or columbarium: a short reading, the words of committal, the Lord's Prayer if not already prayed, and the blessing. ELW, LSB and LBW each provide their own committal text; use the one in your book.
Which book your congregation uses
If you are a guest preacher, ask which book the congregation uses before you plan a single hymn. The hymn numbers, the creed wording and the committal all follow the book.
| Book | Year | Used mainly by | What to look up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) | 2006 | ELCA (United States) and ELCIC (Canada) | The Funeral rite and the committal; the pastor's Leaders Desk Edition has the full rubrics |
| Lutheran Service Book (LSB) | 2006 | LCMS and Lutheran Church-Canada | The Funeral Service in the Agenda, with the committal |
| Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) | 1978 | Predecessor bodies of the ELCA and ELCIC; still in some pews | Burial of the Dead |
Hymn suggestions by Lutheran tradition
Lutherans sing at funerals, and the hymns do theological work. These appear in ELW, LSB or both; check your hymnal for the number and the text.
- For All the Saints (resurrection and the communion of saints; a strong processional)
- I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Easter confidence, familiar in almost every Lutheran congregation)
- Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense (a classic Lutheran funeral hymn)
- Children of the Heavenly Father (Scandinavian heritage; often chosen by the family)
- Abide with Me and Beautiful Savior (quieter, suited to the commendation or the sending)
- A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (where the family wants the Reformation voice at full strength)
- Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart (its last stanza is a prayer for the hour of death and is often sung at committals)
Scripture readings the rite commonly uses
- Old Testament: Isaiah 25:6-9; Isaiah 40:1-11; Lamentations 3:22-33; Job 19:23-27
- Psalms: Psalm 23; Psalm 46; Psalm 90; Psalm 121; Psalm 130
- Epistles: Romans 6:3-9 (the baptismal reading); Romans 8:31-39; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 2 Corinthians 4:16 to 5:1; Revelation 21:1-7
- Gospels: John 11:21-27; John 14:1-6; Luke 24:1-9; Matthew 11:25-30
Sermon outline in the Lutheran shape: Law and Gospel
A Lutheran funeral sermon is short, ten to twelve minutes, and it preaches Christ. It names death honestly (Law) and announces what God has done about it (Gospel). It does not try to earn the deceased a place in heaven by listing virtues; the baptized have a place already.
- Name the loss honestly. Say the person's name. Say that death is real and that grief is not a lack of faith. Law here is not scolding; it is telling the truth that the room already knows.
- Go back to the font. Romans 6: the one you loved was buried with Christ in baptism and raised with him. The pall and the paschal candle are already saying this; let the sermon say it out loud.
- Announce the Gospel. John 11 or 14, or 1 Corinthians 15: Christ has died, Christ is risen, and the promise made at the font holds in the grave. This is the longest movement.
- Turn to the living. What this promise means for the people in the pews today, including the ones who have not been in church for years. Close by pointing to the commendation that follows: we are about to hand this person to God, and God receives.
- A full Lutheran funeral sermon outline, with fill-in placeholders for the name and memories, is at Lutheran funeral sermon template.
- If the family's faith is unknown or absent, the shape holds: preach Christ for the living, and let the commendation do its work without pronouncing on the dead.
Tradition-specific notes
- The funeral is a worship service of the congregation, and the church is the usual setting. The service can be held in a funeral home, but the font, the paschal candle and the gathered congregation are part of what the rite is saying.
- The pall covers every coffin alike, rich or poor, and recalls the baptismal garment. Flowers and flags are usually set aside while the pall is in place.
- Eulogies are not forbidden, but they are not the sermon. Keep them brief, separate and planned.
- Lutherans do not pray for the dead in the Roman Catholic sense. The commendation entrusts the person to God; it is not an intercession for a change in their state.
- Burial and cremation are both practiced; the committal text adapts. Ask the pastor and follow the rubric.
- Where the Lord's Supper is celebrated, the congregation's own communion practice applies. A guest preacher should ask rather than assume.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a eulogy at a Lutheran funeral?
- Often a brief remembrance, yes, but it is kept separate from the sermon. The sermon preaches Christ and the resurrection for the mourners; a family member or friend may speak about the person before the readings or after the sermon, usually within a time limit the pastor sets.
- How long is a Lutheran funeral service?
- Most run under an hour. Holy Communion, several remembrances or a long procession to the grave add time. The sermon itself is usually ten to twelve minutes.
- Is Holy Communion part of a Lutheran funeral?
- It can be. ELW and LSB both provide for the Lord's Supper within the funeral rite. Whether it is celebrated depends on the congregation's practice and the family's wishes, and the pastor decides.
- What is the pall and why is it used?
- A large cloth, usually white, placed over the coffin when it is received at the church. It recalls the white garment of baptism and makes every coffin look the same, so that the service speaks of baptism and resurrection rather than of wealth or status.
- Can a Lutheran funeral be held at a funeral home instead of the church?
- Yes. The rite can be used in a funeral home or at the graveside alone. The church is the preferred setting because the font, the paschal candle and the congregation are part of what the service is saying, but pastoral circumstances often decide.
- Does the Lutheran rite allow cremation?
- Lutheran church bodies generally permit either burial or cremation. The committal text adapts to the cremated remains and the columbarium or grave. Follow your service book and your pastor's guidance.
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