Service Sheets
At farewell ceremonies, it is usual to hand out a small printed booklet, called a service sheet or order of service, to everyone who attends. This handout outlines what will happen during the ceremony, in the order that it will happen. It is also often kept by family members as a tangible keepsake of the day.
What is included in service sheets?
Although there is a common format for service sheets, there are no hard and fast rules. You can create these however you wish. Here are some typical details that are commonly included:
Front Cover
- Photo of the person who has passed
- Their full legal name
- Dates of birth and death
- Date, time and location of the service.
Inside
As well as any additional photos you would like to use, the inside of the service sheet is usually an outline of what will happen in the order it will happen including;
- Names of songs that will be played
- Lyrics of hymns that will be sung
- Wording of prayers that the celebrant will lead
- Wording of any poems that will be read out by speakers, and the names of speakers.
Back Cover
- Thank you message for those that attended
- Details of the wake following the service
- If you are choosing to collect donations to a charity this is a way to let attendees know how to donate if they wish.
Who makes the service sheet?
A funeral home will be able to create the service sheet for you, at an additional cost. However there are many reasons why some families choose to create their own service sheets.
Perhaps you would like to keep costs down, or someone in your family is creative and would like to look after this aspect of the funeral planning, or it may be that you simply want something unique rather than choosing from one of the templates the funeral home has available.
Tips for creating your own service sheet
There are many free service sheet templates you can use. When creating the service sheet it is worth keeping in mind that printing costs will vary depending on the quanity printed as well as size, number of pages, paper stock, and finish you choose.