A funeral programme in Kenya and a funeral programme in South Africa do the same job but look quite different. In Kenya the booklet is often simply called the eulogy. In South Africa it is the funeral programme, and it is usually short. This guide explains both, with a funeral programme sample and wording to copy for each country, for families at home and for relatives helping from elsewhere.
Kenya: the booklet called the eulogy
In Kenya, "the eulogy" often means the whole printed booklet, not only a speech. It usually contains:
- A cover with a photograph, the full name, and the dates of birth and death
- A timed programme of the day
- The eulogy itself, which is the life story
- Tributes from the family
- The order of the church service
- A vote of thanks
- Photographs
Sample cover wording for a Kenyan funeral programme
Celebrating the life of
the late (FULL NAME)
(date of birth) to (date of death)Funeral service and burial
(Day, date), from (time)
(Church or home), (village or town), (county)
The life story
The life story follows the person from birth through schooling, work, marriage and family, and faith, to the final illness and death where the family chooses to mention it. It is usually read aloud, so keep the sentences plain and ask how many minutes are allowed. Our guide to writing a life story gives a simple order to follow.
Sample eulogy for the programme
Early life
The late (full name) was born on (date) at (village or town) to (father's name) and (mother's name). (He, She) was the (first, second, last) born in a family of (number).Education
(He, She) went to (primary school), and then to (secondary school). (He, She) later trained at (college) as a (profession).Work
(He, She) worked at (place) for (number) years, and later (farmed, ran a business) at (place).Family
(He, She) married (name) in (year). They were blessed with (number) children: (names, in order of birth).Faith
(He, She) was a member of (church), where (he, she) served as (role).Last days
(He, She) fell ill in (month, year), and rested on (date) at (place). We thank God for (his, her) life.
Leave out the last part if the family does not wish to mention the illness. For a longer example, see the sample biography of a late mother or father.
Kenya: the timed programme of the day
A Kenyan funeral often has many speakers. For this reason the programme is timed, and a master of ceremonies is named to keep it moving.
A programme might be set out like this:
- Arrival of the family and guests
- Opening prayer and hymn
- Reading of the eulogy
- Tributes from the family: spouse, children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters
- Speeches by groups, such as the wider family, neighbours, colleagues, friends and church members
- The church service and sermon
- Vote of thanks
- Burial and final prayers
Put a time beside each item. Where a group is speaking, name the one person who will speak for it. Agree the list of speakers with the family and the master of ceremonies before printing, and keep it realistic. If the list is too long, the sermon and the burial are rushed.
Sample timed funeral programme
Master of ceremonies: (name)
(time): Arrival of the family and guests
(time): Opening prayer, (name). Hymn, (title)
(time): Reading of the eulogy, (name)
(time): Tributes from the family
Spouse: (name)
Children: (name), for all the children
Grandchildren: (name)
Brothers and sisters: (name)
(time): Speeches
For the wider family: (name)
For the neighbours: (name)
For colleagues: (name)
For the church: (name)
(time): Church service and sermon, (title and name)
(time): Vote of thanks, (name)
(time): Burial and final prayers
The order differs between churches and between communities. The presiding minister has the final say on the service itself, so show the draft to the church before it is printed.
For the vote of thanks, see the samples in vote of thanks at a funeral.
South Africa: a short programme
In South Africa the funeral programme is often an A4 sheet folded to A5, which gives four pages. Some families print a longer booklet. One common layout is:
- Front cover. A photograph, the heading "In loving memory", the full name, and the dates of birth and death. The date, time and place of the service may be added.
- Inside left. The order of service.
- Inside right. The obituary.
- Back cover. A hymn, a poem or scripture, photographs, or the family's words of thanks.
A programme director is often named at the top of the order of service. This is the person who guides the proceedings and calls each speaker. It may be a family member, a friend or a church leader.
Sample cover wording for a South African funeral programme
In loving memory
(FULL NAME)
Born: (date)
Passed away: (date)Funeral service
(Day, date), at (time)
(Church or venue, with town)
South Africa: the order of service and obituary
A typical order of service includes:
- Opening hymn and prayer
- Scripture reading
- Tributes, from speakers for the family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and the church
- The obituary, read aloud
- The sermon
- Vote of thanks
Hymns are often sung between the speakers. For each tribute, print the name of the speaker. The programme director will keep time, but it helps to agree in advance how long each person may speak. If you are asked to speak, how to write a tribute gives a simple structure.
Sample order of service with a programme director
Programme director: (name)
Opening hymn: (title, or number in the hymn book)
Opening prayer: (name)
Scripture reading: (reference), read by (name)
Hymn
Tributes
For the family: (name)
For friends: (name)
For the neighbours: (name)
For colleagues: (name)
For the church: (name)
Hymn
Obituary: read by (name)
Sermon: (title and name)
Vote of thanks: (name)
Closing prayerThe burial follows at (cemetery).
The obituary is a short life story: birth, parents, schooling, work, marriage, children and church life. It ends with the surviving family. Agree as a family how that closing list is worded and who is included, because it will be read in front of everyone.
Sample obituary for a funeral programme
(Full name) was born on (date) at (place), the (first, second, last) child of (names of parents). (He, She) attended (school), and worked at (employer) as a (occupation) for (number) years.
(He, She) married (name) in (year), and they were blessed with (number) children. (He, She) was a member of (church), where (he, she) served in (group or role).
(He, She) passed away on (date). (He, She) is survived by (his, her) (wife, husband), (number) children, (number) grandchildren, and (brothers and sisters).
May (his, her) soul rest in peace.
Sample words of thanks for the back cover
The (surname) family thanks you for your prayers, your visits and your support at this time. We cannot name you all, but we are grateful to each of you. May God bless you.
The unveiling of the tombstone is a separate event, held later. It does not need to appear in the funeral programme.
The master of ceremonies and the programme director
Both do the same work under different names. They keep the day in order and call each speaker. Help them before the day.
- Give them the final programme as soon as it is approved, not on the morning.
- Write out the names and titles of every speaker, and say them aloud together once.
- Agree how long each speaker has, and a polite way to signal that the time is up.
- Agree who may change the order on the day. For the service itself, that is the presiding minister.
- Tell every speaker their place in the order and their time.
Our funeral MC script has lines to open, to introduce each speaker and to keep time.
Hymns and languages
In both countries, a service may move between languages. Hymns may be sung in English, Kiswahili, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sesotho, Setswana, Afrikaans or another home language. Print each hymn in the language in which it will be sung, and ask the choir leader or a church elder to check the words.
If space is short, as it often is in a four-page programme, print the hymn title and its number in the hymn book, and let the song leader carry the rest. You can browse well-known funeral hymns, and compare orders of service by church.
A page-by-page list for each country
A Kenyan eulogy booklet
- Cover
- The timed programme of the day
- The eulogy
- Tributes from the family
- The order of the church service, with hymns
- Vote of thanks
- Photographs
A South African four-page programme
- Front cover
- Order of service, with the programme director named
- Obituary
- Back cover, with a hymn, a poem or scripture, photographs or words of thanks
A stapled booklet is made of folded sheets, so the page count goes up in fours. See funeral programme size and printing.
Checks before printing
- Show the order of service, readings, hymns and speaker names to the minister for approval.
- Confirm that every speaker knows they are listed, and for how long.
- Ask two family members to proofread names, titles and dates.
- Check the times against travel on the day, above all if the burial is far from the church.
- Agree as a family who is listed among the survivors, and in what order.
- Print enough copies for the family and guests, and keep a PDF for relatives abroad.
The wording of the death notice is covered in funeral announcement wording. A general list of pages is in what goes in a funeral programme. If family overseas are helping, see planning a funeral from abroad.
Questions people ask
What is a eulogy in Kenya?
In Kenya, "the eulogy" often means the whole printed funeral booklet, not only a speech. Inside it, the eulogy is the life story, which is usually read aloud on the day.
What does a programme director do at a funeral?
The programme director guides the proceedings, calls each speaker and keeps time. It may be a family member, a friend or a church leader. The name is often printed at the top of the order of service.
What goes in a funeral programme in South Africa?
A cover with a photograph, the name and the dates, then the order of service, the obituary, and a back cover with a hymn, a poem or scripture, photographs or the family's words of thanks. It is often four pages.
Why is a Kenyan funeral programme timed?
There are often many speakers. A time beside each item, and a named master of ceremonies, help to make sure the sermon and the burial are not rushed.
How long should each speaker take at a funeral?
There is no fixed rule. Agree the time with the family and the master of ceremonies or programme director before printing, and tell each speaker. Where a group is speaking, name one person to speak for it.
Does the unveiling of the tombstone go in the funeral programme?
No. The unveiling is a separate event, held later. It does not need to appear in the funeral programme.
Make the programme with Homegoing
Homegoing is a website that makes the booklet on a phone, with an order of service for your church and room for a timed programme of the day. Tributes come in through one shared link, and the family approves each one. You receive a print-ready A5 booklet and a phone version to share on WhatsApp. Start a programme