Pop star Whitney Houston's funeral service will be held Saturday in the New Jersey church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child, her family choosing to remember her in a private service rather than in a large event at an arena.

The owner of the Whigham Funeral Home in Newark said Tuesday that the funeral will be held at noon at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark. Gospel singer Marvin Winans, a Grammy Award winner and longtime family friend, has been chosen to give the eulogy, his son said.

The funeral home said that no wake would be held and that there would be no public memorial at Newark's Prudential Center, the sports arena that the family had discussed as a possible venue. The funeral service will be by invitation only, Carolyn Whigham said, reflecting the family's desire to keep the memorial more personal.

"They have shared her for 30-some years with the city, with the state, with the world. This is their time now for their farewell," she said.

"The family thanks all the fans, the friends and the media, but this time is their private time," she said.

A hearse arrived late Monday at the funeral home under heavy police escort from Teterboro Airport, where Houston's body was transported from the Los Angeles area.

The New Hope Baptist Church was where Houston began singing as a child, where her mother — Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston — led the music program for many years and where her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick, sang in its choir.

沪江娱乐快讯：据国外媒体报道，刚刚去世的惠特尼·休斯顿（WhitneyHouston）的遗体已于当地时间周一晚运回了她的家乡新泽西。据知情人士透露，休斯顿的葬礼将在本周末举行，葬礼将选在惠特尼·休斯顿初试啼声的新泽西教堂。当地时间上周六，48岁的惠特尼·休斯顿被发现死于贝弗利山庄希尔顿酒店的浴缸中，当时她正准备参加本届格莱美音乐奖的预热演出。据这两位知情人士透露，惠特尼这次葬礼的具体安排将由Newark的“维格汉姆殡仪馆”负责制定。“维格汉姆殡仪馆”的一位女士在接受采访时表示，针对目前他们将要负责休斯顿葬礼的传闻，她既不肯定，也不否认。目前，一架帐篷已经支起在通往这家殡仪馆后门的路上。惠特尼·休斯顿生于新泽西的内瓦克地区，在EastOrange长大。在很小的时候，休斯顿正是在内瓦克的“新希望浸礼会”开始了自己的演唱生涯。惠特尼的家人表示葬礼将会采用比较私人的方式，不对外公开。他们感谢歌迷对于惠特尼的关心。