Please tell me what's the funneral ceremony in the US like?

Question

I've never been at a funeral in my life and I'm not from the states. All I know is that we need to go at this church tommorow at 11, my father's friend and boss passed and he was African American. What do you do when you enter the church, what to bring, where people go after the church ...?

Answer 1

Most Christian burials have a "wake" the day before and the burial or funeral the following day. It sounds as though you may be going to the funeral portion.

There is no need to bring anything. The funeral will be very somber and there will be a service about 40 minutes long. Then there will be a funeral procession to the burial site in a cemetery. The immediate family will ride in a limousine usually and the hearse and friends and other family members will follow in their own vehicles. The ride will be slow as most funeral procession go about 20 miles per hour in town.

There will be another short graveside service and the casket will be place into the cement vault in the ground. Many times, a church will have a meal for friends and family after-wards or there may be a meal in a friend's home or even a rented hall..

The main thing to bring is your condolences.

I wish this wasn't the first association you have with the States as it seems too sad for the occasion of a visit to a different country