Updated

6:29 am PDT, Friday, October 25, 2019

Pallbearers, left, carry the casket containing the body of the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings ahead of his funeral at New Psalmist Baptist Church, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Baltimore. The Maryland congressman and civil rights champion died Thursday, Oct. 17, at age 68 of complications from long-standing health issues. less
Pallbearers, left, carry the casket containing the body of the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings ahead of his funeral at New Psalmist Baptist Church, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Baltimore. The Maryland congressman … more

Photo: Julio Cortez, AP

photo

Pallbearers, left, carry the casket containing the body of the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings ahead of his funeral at New Psalmist Baptist Church, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Baltimore. The Maryland congressman and civil rights champion died Thursday, Oct. 17, at age 68 of complications from long-standing health issues. less
Pallbearers, left, carry the casket containing the body of the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings ahead of his funeral at New Psalmist Baptist Church, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Baltimore. The Maryland congressman … more

Photo: Julio Cortez, AP

The Latest: Mourners entering Cummings service sing, clap

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Latest on the Baltimore funeral services for congressman and civil rights leader Elijah Cummings (all times local):

9:25 a.m.

Mourners are singing and clapping along with the choir in a Baltimore church during a public viewing and wake ahead of a funeral service for U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings.

Around 8 a.m. Friday, mourners began filling the 4,000-seat sanctuary at New Psalmist Baptist Church, where Cummings worshipped for nearly four decades. Funeral services are scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

The open casket was placed in the front of the sanctuary with wreaths on either side and an American flag folded in a triangle to the left.

The choir accompanied by live instruments sang hymns including “Holy, Holy Holy,” ”O How Precious” and “We’re Marching to Zion.” As people filed in, some stopped to pay respects at the casket. Others took their seats and clapped and sang along.

___

8:10 a.m.

The Baltimore funeral service for U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings will feature dignitaries throughout and a musical tribute from a gospel legend.

Soon after the service starts at 10 a.m. Friday, presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge are scheduled to do scripture readings. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will then offer remarks.

Gospel singer BeBe Winans is scheduled to perform a musical selection. The choir will also perform the hymn “The Church is One Foundation.”

A series of other speakers include Cummings’ daughters, brother and wife. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama will also give remarks toward the end of the service.

The funeral Friday is being held at New Psalmist Baptist Church, where Cummings worshipped for nearly four decades. His bishop, Walter S. Thomas Jr., will deliver the eulogy.

__

7:30 a.m.

Hundreds are lining up outside of a Baltimore church in hopes of getting a seat for the funeral of U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings.

Among those waiting to get in was The Rev. Jacqueline Williams of Baltimore The 67-year-old arrived at the church before sunrise in hopes of securing a seat in the church. She never met Cummings but recently attended a banquet in his honor. She said it felt like her civic duty to come honor the man who did so much for Baltimore.

LaGreta Williams of New York City is a friend who met Cummings when they were college students in Baltimore in 1969.

She said they remained friends for 50 years and often had lunch when she visited Baltimore.

She said an important part of his legacy was his belief that people should have equal opportunities so they could better themselves.

___

6:45 a.m.

The body of congressman and civil rights champion Elijah Cummings is back in his beloved Baltimore for a final farewell.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are among the scheduled speakers for the funeral Friday at New Psalmist Baptist Church, where Cummings worshipped for nearly four decades. His bishop, Walter S. Thomas Jr., will deliver the eulogy.

Cummings died Oct. 17 at age 68 of complications from longstanding health problems. A son of sharecroppers, he became a lawyer and elected official.

He represented a congressional district that includes his hometown of Baltimore since 1996 and most recently led one of the U.S. House committees conducting an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.

On Thursday, he became the first African American lawmaker to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol.

Source