of her life. >> at 12:30 the plan is that donnie mcclerkan will sing "stand" with the choir. >> amazing song. >> that will be an amazing start to this, i think. then tyler perry will talk. it's described as expressions in the program, as is kevin costner's address, which will also be expressions. and clive davis. so you're going to have three incredibly different, very heart-felt testimonies i think to whitney houston there. >> the choir has begun to pick up again, of course. we're expecting this to begin in seven minutes or so. this is the new hope mass choir and the new jersey mass choir. let's listen in for a little bit as they are performing for those who are inside the church now. ♪

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♪ ♪ [ applause ]

>> those are the members of the new hope mass choir along with the new jersey mass choir performing -- who's song was that? >> "grateful". >> that's a beautiful song. we've been told that oprah winfrey and gayle king have arrived inside the church as our coverage of the special day, remarkable day. it's interesting because outside today is such a beautiful, beautiful day. >> it is. >> it looks so joyful inside the church but you have to imagine for everyone there their hearts are breaking. 48 years old is so young. >> well, broken hearts do not undermine the capacity to praise god. we live in this dynamic of not having what we want, but needing to be grateful for what we have. and all of us are grateful for the great joy of having known and had whitney houston in our presence. that's what this celebration is about. >> and you can tell that from all the tweets that are pouring

in now to the #whitney houston. people are feeling really uplifting by what they're seeing on screen. this choir seems to have set the tone for the whole service. as you say, it's not just a day for grief and mourning, it's a day for celebration. and it's a joyous celebration of an extraordinary life too, isn't it? >> but remember what this tradition has done. it's been events like these that responded to four little girls being bombed in a church. in services like these -- >> yeah. >> we had to bring healing after the death of martin luther king. and so this is the formula that we have used to survive as a people in this country since we arrived here. >> just hearing mariah carey has just arrived, who many say is right up there with whitney houston as one of the great singers, great divas of our time. i mean this church will be full today, as some of the great singers in history, aretha franklin, mariah carey, alicia keys, stevie wonder.

it's an extraordinary gathering of people. >> it's more than music celebration. it's really a tribute to a life. again, her life had meaning beyond her music, but her music gave us hope. one of the aspects of a great song is a song that people who can't sing feel like they can and she had these great songs. ♪ hallelujah, hallelujah ♪

♪ ♪ halleluj hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ i lift my hands and pray to you lord ♪ ♪ i bow my head and honor you lord ♪ ♪ i lift my hands and pray to you lord ♪

♪ i bow my head, i honor you lord ♪ ♪ hallelujah ♪ hallelujah ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ hallelujah don't worry ♪ ♪ hallelujah don't worry, we praise your name ♪ hallelujah, we praise your name ♪ ♪ hallelujah, you're worthy,

hallelujah, we lift you up ♪ ♪ hallelujah you're worthy, ♪ lal lieu gentleman we praise your name ♪ ♪ hallelujah, you're worthy ♪ hallelujah, we praise your name ♪ ♪ ♪ lord we lift you up ♪ ♪

♪ lord we lift you up ♪ ♪ ♪ lord we lift you up, lord we lift you up ♪ ♪ lord we lift you up ♪

♪ ♪ lord we lift you up ♪ ♪ lord we lift you up ♪ ♪ lord we lift you up ♪ ♪ lord we lift you up, lord we lift you up ♪ ♪ lord we lift you up

♪ lord we lift you up >> so this is a look at bobby brown, who has now arrived, and is heading into new hope church. >> very difficult day for bobby brown. i mean he's taken a lot of flak this week from people who think that whitney wouldn't have made some of the decisions she took in her life without him. talking to friends who knew him, pastor, you knew the family well, maybe some of that blame has been misplaced. whitney was quite a party girl before she met bobby brown and maybe they were kindred spirits more than people think. >> i think that's true. when whitney was a teenager, she was surrounded by an environment

of temptation. she is from an urban area where she had access to all kinds of things. i would not condemn bobby brown for whitney's struggles. >> the church is starting the service, so we're going to listen in. >> we have been helping this family all week, and i am also the minister of music here at the new hope baptist church. so we welcome you to our home, and we're going to have church today. because we believe in a mighty god. he's awesome. through it all, it is well with my soul.

we please ask that you not use your cell phones. we actually ask that you turn them off. no recording, please. no picture taking. and in case of an emergency, we're going to ask you to go to the nearest exits. you'll have an exit in the rear, to my left, to your right. you have an exit on the right in the rear. we have two exits on the right here. and now i present to you the mayor of this great, beautiful city called newark, new jersey, the honorable cory booker.

>> ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to welcome you all here to our great city. we are here to mourn our loss, but to celebrate her life. god is in heaven, and with him is one of our angels, whitney houston. [ applause ] as the heavens reverberate with joy and gladness, may we understand that tho we weep now, weeping may endure through the night, but joy, joy cometh in the morning. we thank you for gathering here and i again want to say we love

you, whitney houston. thank you. [ applause ] >> will everyone please rise.

♪ >> carries them away as if with a flood, they are as asleep in the morning. they are like grass which grows up. in the morning it flourish and grows up. in the evening, it is cut down and withers. for we are consumed by thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled. thou set our iniqities before

thee, thigh secret sins in the light of our countenance. all of the days have passed away in our wrath, we spent our years as a tale that is told. the days of our years are three score years and ten. if by reason or strength they be four score years, yet to their strength, labor and sorrow far too soon cut off and we fly away. who knows the power of thine anger even according to thy fear, so is thiy wrath. so teach us to number our days at that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. return, oh lord, how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants or satisfy us early with thy mercy that we may

rejoice and be glad all our days. make us glad according to the days wherein thou has afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil. let thou work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children. and let the beauty of the lord, our god, be upon us, establish now the work of our hands upon us, yes, the work of our hands establish thou it.

♪ ♪ ♪ the lord is my shepherd ♪ i shall not want ♪ he maketh me to lie down in

green pastures ♪ ♪ he leadeth me beside the still waters ♪ ♪ he restoreth my soul, he restoreth my soul ♪ ♪ he restoreth my soul ♪ yeah, oh yeah

♪ he leadeth me in the power of righteousness ♪ ♪ for he his name sake ♪ oh yea, yea though i walk through the valley of the shadows of death ♪ ♪ i shall fear no evil for thou are with me ♪ ♪ yes, thy rod and thy staff, they do comfort me, ♪

♪ yes, they do comfort me ♪ yes, they do comfort me ♪ yes, they do comfort me ♪ hallelujah, they comfort me, they comfort me ♪ ♪ yes, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yes ♪ ♪ he prepareth the table ♪ in the presence of our enem s enemies ♪ ♪ my cup is running over

♪ oh, and you know that sure suresurely you'll follow, follow, follow me ♪ ♪ follow me ♪ and i shall prepare a bed

forever and ever ♪ ♪ hallelujah ♪ in the house of the lord ♪ one of these mornings i'm going to meet my maker there ♪ ♪ forever and ever ♪ and i shall dwell in the house of the lord ♪ ♪ one of these moments ♪ forever and ever ♪ ever and ever and ever ♪ i shall dwell, going to see my savior ♪ ♪ i'm going to meet him ♪ yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ forever and ever ♪ one of these moments, one of these moments ♪ ♪ forever and ever and ever and ever ♪ ♪ amen, amen, amen

♪ amen, amen, amen ♪ amen, amen, amen ♪ and i shall dwell in the house of the lord ♪ ♪ i'm going to see my jesus, forever and ever ♪ ♪ yes, hallelujah ♪ yes, hallelujah ♪ going to meet my jesus ♪ forever and ever and ever ♪ one of these moments, i won't be alone ♪ ♪ yeah, i'll be in the house of

the lord, one of these moments ♪ ♪ forever and ever and ever and ever and ever ♪ ♪ and ever and ever ♪ going to meet my jesus, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ amen, amen, amen ♪ yeah, amen, amen ♪ i believe it ♪ amen >> come on and give him praise, give him praise.

god bless you. say amen for the choir, say amen for the choir. >> amen. >> god bless you today. repeat after me. lord, we welcome you. have your way. lord, we welcome you. have your way. in jesus' name, amen. if you love the lord, clap for him. come on, clap. come on, come on, clap for him. if you love jesus, come on, clap for him. halleluj hallelujah! glory to god. glory to god. glory to god. glory to god. god be praised. god be praised. god be praised. god be praised. god be praised. god be praised. god be praised.

god be praised. oh, my. my, my, my. yeah. we are gathered here today because when you are a child of god, when you're dedicated, you're dedicated at an altar. when you're fellowshiped into the body of christ, it's at an altar. when you make your wedding vows, it's at an altar. and when god has spoken, you are

laid to rest and yet celebrated at an altar. we're here today, hearts broken, but yet with god's strength we celebrate the life of whitney houston today. [ applause ] now, i want to just say this, as protocol has already been set. this is not my house. this is not your house. y'all can finish that next part, can't you. this is god's house. whitney, you are the only one

that could bring all of us together. whitney, today is your day. we celebrate. today is your day, whitney. today is your day. now, i want to just say that we came here to celebrate, and this is how we celebrate. we have church. >> yeah! >> we have church. the loving people you see, this family, they love the lord. and that is their faith that is holding them together. and so it's not about anybody but whitney today, and we celebrate and we want to support and strengthen this family in this hour. if you love god, clap for jesus, if you love god. [ applause ]

the 23rd psalm, the lord is my shepherd, i shall not want. he makes me to lie down in green pastures. he leads me beside the still waters. he restores my soul. he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. yea, though i walk in the valley of the shadow of death, i'll fear no evil. for thou art with me. thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. thousa . this hou prepares a table before me. thou anoint my head. goodness and mercy shall follow all the days of my life and i will dwell in the house of the lord forever.

amen. john chapter 14, verse 1 through 6. let not your heart be troubled. you believe in god, believe also in me. in my father's house are many mansions. if it were not so, i would have told you. i go to prepare a place for you. if i go and prepare a place for you, i will come again and receive you unto myself. and while i am there you may be also. where i go, you know and in the way you know. thomas said to him lord, we know not where thy goest, how can we know the way. jesus says under him, i am the way. the truth and the life.

no man comes unto the father but by me. this is the word of god. we'll now have a selection by reverend donnie mcclurkin at this time. let the church say amen as he comes. >> amen.

♪ tell me what do you do ♪ when you've done all you can ♪ and it seems like it's never enough ♪ ♪ tell me what do you say ♪ when everyone's gone away

♪ and you're all alone ♪ tell me what do you give ♪ when you've given your all and seems like you can't make it through ♪ ♪ well, you just stand when there's nothing left to do ♪ ♪ stand and watch the lord see you through ♪ ♪ after you've done all you can ♪ ♪ you just stand ♪ tell me how do you deal with the shame and tell me how can

you keep on smiling ♪ ♪ while your heart has been broken ♪ ♪ and the soul filled with pain ♪ ♪ tell me what do you give ♪ when you've given your all and it seems like you can't make it through ♪ ♪ child, you just stand when there's nothing left to do ♪ ♪ just go on and stand and watch our lord see you through ♪ ♪ yes, after you've done all you can ♪ ♪ you just stand and be shown

♪ you just stand ♪ god has a plan ♪ tell me what do you do when you've done all that you can and it seems like you can't make it ♪ ♪ somebody help me out ♪ child, you just stand, you just stand ♪ ♪ you stand, don't you dare give up ♪ ♪ you just stand, stand up through the rain ♪ ♪ stand up through the pain

♪ don't you bow, don't you bend ♪ ♪ no, don't give up, no, don't give in ♪ ♪ hold on, hold on, hold, hold ♪ hold on, hold on, don't give up ♪ ♪ don't give -- wait a minute, wait a minute, ♪ ♪ after you've done all you can ♪ ♪ after you've done all you can ♪ ♪ after you've gone through the storms ♪

♪ after you've gone through the rain, oh ♪ ♪ after you've gone through the hurt in your life ♪ ♪ after you've gone through the pain ♪ ♪ yeah, yeah, yeah, you prayed and cried ♪ ♪ you prayed and cried and prayed and cried ♪ ♪ you prayed and cried and prayed and cried ♪ ♪ prayed and cried, but what you've got to do is ♪ ♪ just stand, stand, don't you dare let go ♪ ♪ don't you lose the faith

♪ throughout all the hurt, throughout all of the pain, oh ♪ ♪ hold on again ♪ after you've done all you can ♪ ♪ i wish i had some worshippers here today that would give god praise ♪ ♪ sometimes lord it gets a little too heavy to bear ♪ ♪ god promised to give us strength in the midnight hour ♪ ♪ in the midnight hour ♪ we don't know what god does, what god does ♪ ♪ but everything god does, he does it well ♪ ♪ do i have a witness here ♪ and you pray and cry, pray,

c cry, square your shoulders, hold your head up high ♪ ♪ after you've done all you can, you just stand ♪ ♪ when you get up tomorrow, you just stand ♪ ♪ don't let go at the home of your salvation ♪ ♪ you just stand ♪ hallelujah >> that is a powerful song. >> amazing performance. that was donnie mcclurkin with

the famous song "stand" but he's singing with the new hope mass choir and new jersey mass choir. the combined effect, what a start to this service. >> you just stand and be sure, god has a plan, yes, god has a plan. what meaning. beautiful song but what meaning for people. >> it's so uplifting and this is what's great about this service today is that it's a proper church service done in baptist style. it's very much what whitney houston grew up with. i feel uplifted. i've never been near this church before. you've known this church your whole life. this i assume is absolutely in the spirit of what this event should be about. >> the word "ministry" means service. and what donnie mcclurkin just did, he describes, appropriately, as music ministry. a musical performance is impressive, but music ministry really serves -- >> we're going to listen back in to dionne warwick now. >> giving us what we asked for.

your song means a lot to cissy and it meant a great deal to whitney and we do thank you and love you. we'll now ask tyler perry to come and give us words of expression. god bless you. the houston family, i know this -- i know this grief. it was pat who introduced me to whitney a while back, and she and i sat in a restaurant in

atlanta, just the two of us, sat there talking for about an hour and a half about four years ago. and during this time she was telling me about her life. i was very surprised at how candid and open and revealing she was as she was talking to me. she would talk about some things that she had went through, some things that had made her sad, some things that were tough. as i would see her talk about this, i would see this heaviness come upon her. i'm the type of person that when i would see this with anyone, i would want to say sgomething encouraging. but before i could get words out to encourage her, but she would say "but the lord." and the conversation went on, the conversation went on, we would talk a little bit more. she would talk about the sadness and just about when i'm about to step in and she would say, but my lord and savior jesus christ and his amazing grace. it was at that moment that i knew that i would do all i can

to stand with her. from that moment until now i've been standing with the family and with her. i'm just completely thankful to god for all that he has done in her life. there are two constants that i know about whitney houston. one is that there was a grace that carried, a grace that carried her from heaven down through miss cissy houston, a grace that brought her -- from what i understand she wasn't even supposed to be able to speak let alone sing because of an incident that happened to her as a child, but there was a grace that kept on carrying her all the way through. the same grace led her all the way to the top of the charts. sold all of these albums and has just done some amazing things. won all these awards. she's sang for presidents. there was a grace that kept on carrying her. that's one thing i know. the other thing i know for sure, and this is more important than anything that she's ever done in her life. whitney houston loved the lord.

and in every conversation we had over these years, it was evident that she loved the lord. she loved the lord. when i think about her, there's a scripture that keeps burning in my heart. i keep thinking about the apostle paul in romans when he is talking about i am persuaded that nothing shall separate me from the love of god. so what i know about her is that nothing separated her from the love of god. if you look at what paul was saying, he was describing her life so perfectly. he said neither height, which noent matter how far she went in the stratosphere, nothing separated her -- neither height nor depth, no matter how much struggle, no matter what she had to go through, no matter what she had to walk through, it still wasn't enough to separate her from the love of god, nor principalities or power or things to come. nothing was able to separate her from the love of god. so what i know about her is that

she loved the lord. and if there was a grace that carried her all the way through, it was the same grace that carried her home. and i just want to close by saying this because the apostle paul said something else that just fascinates me as i read the words sometimes. he said, what then say you to these things. uh-huh. that if god before y for you, w be against you. so say whatever you want. god was for her and she is resting, singing with the angels. god bless your family, god bless you, god bless you, whitney, we love you so much. [ applause ]

>> we just heard from somebody that truly knew nippy. yes, she loved the lord and still does. a young man that has been around nippy for quite a while in our family, i'm going to ask if he will come and sing for us. bebe winans.

>> i said i wasn't going to do this, but i don't mind doing it, i don't mind doing it, i don't mind. i asked cece to come up here because we spent a lot of time together, and we talk about her

voice and we talk about her talent, which was a beautiful thing. but what i'm going to miss is crazy whitney. i had a chance just to sit back a little bit and start remembering until last night we were here. and i said cece, if anything i want to share in what i'm going to miss is that whitney when we were getting ready to do our first major headline tour. and whitney told us we had to come over. so we came over to the house and she said, okay, we were sitting in her closet. and her closet was about as big as this church, though. we wasn't crowded. and so we're sitting there and she said, okay, all right, so i've got to tell y'all what we're going to do.

we're going to -- i went and i -- i had some uniforms made. we looked at her. she said i got the background dresses for the three girls in a cream and i got the band and i got the cream for the shirts and bebe, i got you a suit, i got a cream suit made and cece, i got you a melon dress made and i got me a green one. she made her a green one. she said because we going to headline. and she was determined. and i know clive is here. she made clive so mad, because she decided in the height of her career she was going to come sing background with bebe and cece. and so we sat there and we said whitney, you can't do that. nobody told you to do that, girl. this is not a material

relationship. she said okay, okay, okay, well look, look, look. let me just say this. you're my brother and sister, right? we said yeah, we're your brother and sister. and i'm your sister, right? and we said yes, you are our sister. okay, and we love each other, right? yeah, whitney, we love each other. and she said -- this is what i'm going to miss. and she said, and y'all broke, right? and then she said i'm rich, right? so i can buy what i want to for y'all, right? but that is the whitney, that is the whitney. and so one of the songs that came to my heart, cece stay right there, is a song that i

actually wrote for my brother when he passed. he was 48. and whitney was walking down the aisle and coming to the service and i was standing here when she would start coming into the service. when she walked into the service, she just waved her hand and said family, family. i'm here, family. and so family is here today. to say this. ♪ with tears on my pillow, refusing to let go ♪ ♪ when i heard you left here ♪ felt alone