Whitney Houston's friends and family joined music and film celebrities and hundreds of mourners in a packed New Jersey church for the late pop icon's funeral, where she was remembered as a "sweet miracle" and one of the greatest singers in the world.
READ: CBC News coverage
CBC Music and CBC news teamed up to provide live blog coverage. Highlights from the service include:
- News broke at 11:17 a.m. ET that Aretha Franklin would not be in attendance because of health issues.
- The service opened at 12 p.m. ET with the New Hope Baptist church choir singing "His Gratefulness."
- New Hope Baptist Church Pastor Joe Carter opened the worship with Psalm 23.
- At 12:59 p.m. ET, Whitney Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick introduced filmmaker Tyler Perry who spoke of Whitney Houston's grace and her relationship with religion.
- Between 1:00 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. ET, Bebe Winans and Bishop TD Jakes spoke. Kim Burrell then sang "I Believe in You & Me" from the Preacher's Wife soundtrack.
- One of the most moving moments of the funeral was when actor Kevin Costner took the podium. Speaking to the deceased Huston, Costner said: 'You weren't just pretty, you were as beautiful as a woman could be... and people loved you. I was your pretend bodyguard once, and now you're gone. Gone too soon'.
- Alicia Keys played piano and sang "Send me an Angel" at 1:40 p.m. ET.
- Clive Davis took the stage at 1:47 p.m. ET. Referring to Houston, Davis declared: 'You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime ... and when one person embodies it all, well it takes your breath away.'
- At 1:50pm ET, news broke that Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown had left the funeral.
- Houston's bodyguard Ray Watson shared with the crowd a memorable road trip he and Houston had shared.
- Stevie Wonder performed "Ribbon in the Sky" & "Love's in Need of Love Today" at 2:15pm ET
- Between 2:20pm and 3:00 pm ET, Houston's sister-in-law Patricia Houston spoke, R. Kelly sang, "I Look to You," CeCe Winans sang "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" and Houston's musical director Ricky Minor said a few words.
- Rev. Marvin Winans took the stage at 3pm ET to close the service with some preaching and song.
- At 3:45pm ET, the congregation rose to their feet and pallbearers carried Whitney Houston's casket out of the church while "I Will Always Love You" played.
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