At an emotional funeral filled with music and tears, pop star Whitney Houston was celebrated at New Hope Baptist Church in her hometown of Newark, NJ on Saturday.
The event drew a star-studded assemblage that included Kevin Costner, Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly, Clive Davis and many others, who offered their remembrances and delivered powerful musical performances as they said their final farewell to the singer, who died Feb. 11 at the age of 48.
Costner, Whitney's co-star in her breakthrough 1992 film "The Bodyguard," offered a particularly stirring eluogy that recalled Houston's insecurity in her talents, and her ultimately triumphant performance in the film.
Costner began his often-humorous speech by thanking the family for inviting him, and encouraging the assemblage to "dry our tears" and "suspend our sorrow just long enough to remember the sweet miracle that is Whitney."
Recalling their conversations about their religious upbringing -- both were raised in the Baptist faith -- Costner revealed that the church brought faith as well as the opportunity for mischief for them as children.
"The church was the center of our social life, and Whitney and I would laugh remembering how it was also the place where you could get in big trouble," Costner said.
The actor also recalled how, prior to filming "The Bodyguard," there were concerns that casting a white actress might have been a safer bet.
"I told everybody that I had taken notice that Whitney was black; the only problem was that she was perfect for what I was trying to do," Costner recalled.
Addressing Houston's uncertainty about her abilities -- " the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to stumble," according to the actor -- Costner said, "Whitney, if you could hear me now, I would tell you that you weren't just good enough; you were great ... a lot of guys could have played [Costner's] part, but you were the only person who could have played Rachel Marron at that time."
Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown left the funeral after his entourage was turned away from the church as too numerous to accomodate.
The funeral on Saturday began with a few words from Newark mayor Cory Booker, who welcomed guests to the city and praised the "I Will Always Love You" singer.
"God is in our heaven, and with him is one of our angels, Whitney Houston," Booker said. "We love you, Whitney; thank you."
Pastor Joe Carter, of New Hope Baptist Church, encouraged the crowd to remember that they had gathered to celebrate the fallen singer, even as they mourned her death.
