St. Louis (CNN) -- The funeral of slain Ferguson, Missouri, teenager Michael Brown was a celebration of his life, a search for meaning in his death and a battle cry to change policing in America. 
 
 The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered one of two eulogies during the service Monday, and he had sharp words for those who looted stores and clashed with police after the teenager was shot. 
 
 "You don't understand that Michael Brown does not want to be remembered for a riot. He wants to be remembered as the one that made America deal with how we're going to police in the United States." 
 
 With a call to action, Sharpton criticized police who pointed rifles at peaceful protesters in Ferguson. "We have to leave here today and change this," he said. 
 
 He urged mourners at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church to respect the Brown family's wish for silence Monday. And when protests resume, Sharpton said "they've asked for it to be peaceful. If you can't control yourself, then don't do it in Michael's name. Do it in your own name." 
 
 Brown's great-uncle, the Rev. Charles Ewing, drew parallels between the teenager's life, death and Scripture during his eulogy on behalf of the family. 
 
 "Michael Brown's blood is crying from the ground, crying for vengeance, crying for justice," he said. "There is a cry being made from the ground, not just for Michael Brown but for the Trayvon Martins, for those children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, for the Columbine massacre, for the black-on-black crime." 
 
 Family members and friends reflecting on their memories of "Mike Mike" recalled him saying, "One day, the world will know my name." 
 
 "Michael was a big guy, but he was a kind, gentle soul, and before he left this Earth, the day that he was killed, he was out spreading the word of Jesus Christ," a family friend said. 
 
 They urged the crowd of thousands of mourners to "show up at the voting polls," because "we have had enough to of seeing our brothers and sisters killed in the streets." 
 
 "If we had more of this," one family member said, referring to the audience and then motioning to Brown's casket, "we could have less of this. It shouldn't have took this to get us together like this." 
 
 A message of hope to a full sanctuary 
 
 Bishop Edwin Bass of the Church of God in Christ told the Brown family that he, too, lost a child to violence on the streets of St. Louis. 
 
 "While this tragic loss will always be with you, the step-by-step, one foot in front of the other march of time will ultimately bring you to a divine place where you will laugh again, you will find the joy of living again, as your thinking shifts from tragedy to the joyful reflection of good times." 
 
 Michael Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, wiped away tears as she stood at the coffin that holds her son's body. 
 
 She wrote a letter to her son published in the funeral program that said in part, "I never want this to go unsaid, there are no words to express how much you mean to me. A son like you, I thought could never be. Because the day you were born, I just know, God sent me a blessing -- and that was you." 
 
 His father, Michael Brown Sr., wrote his own letter, saying, "I always told you I will never let nothing happen to you. And that's what hurt sooooooo much, that I couldn't protect you but we love you. I will never let you die in my heart, you will always live forever." 
 
 The sanctuary, which holds 2,500 people, was filled, and an overflow auditorium was also full. It was estimated by reporters at the service that another 2,000 people were on church property for the funeral in addition to those in the sanctuary. 
 
 Retired mail carrier Hilliard Phillips, who once delivered on the street where Brown was killed, was among the mourners. He said there's power in numbers, and he hoped the outpouring of support for Brown and his family would spur society to take a look at itself. 
 
 "You can't really overnight change the behavior of a person, but sometimes they can be coerced in a sweet way. ... I would hope they could see people coming together in a solemn way to show their respect to someone," he said. 
 
 Following the service, scores of motorcycles ridden by mourners accompanied the funeral procession that carried Brown's body to St. Peter's Cemetery in St. Louis. 
 
 T-shirts and buttons memorializing Michael Brown 
 
 Brown's death on August 9 sparked days of sometimes violent protests in the St. Louis suburb and concern over race and police shootings across the country. In the past several days, things have calmed down, and the town is slowly coming back to life. 
 
 Among the guests at the service were Martin Luther King III and the Rev. Bernice King; the Rev. Jesse Jackson; the families of Trayvon Martin and Sean Bell; and celebrities Spike Lee, Diddy and Snoop Lion. 
 
 The White House sent three officials to the funeral. One of them was Broderick Johnson, who leads the White House's My Brother's Keeper Task Force. He was joined by Marlon Marshall, a St. Louis native who attended high school with Brown's mother, and Heather Foster. Marshall and Foster are part of the White House Office of Public Engagement. 
 
 Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, however, did not attend. 
 
 "The governor has communicated to attorneys representing the family of Michael Brown that he will not be attending today's funeral out of respect for the family, who deserve time to focus on remembering Michael and grieving their loss," spokesman Scott Holste said before the service. 
 
 A tense tranquility 
 
 One sign of a return to normality: Children in the Ferguson-Florissant School District finally started school Monday. The first day had been scheduled for August 18 but was delayed a week because of looting and protests, reported CNN affiliate KMOV. 
 
 Two weeks after the shooting sparked violent protests, the mood turned more tranquil over the weekend, with smaller crowds and lots of music. Gone were police in riot gear and defiant protesters. The tear gas, rubber bullets and Molotov cocktails were nowhere to be seen, either. 
 
 In their place were clusters of officers, hanging around businesses, chatting with one another. 
 
 Race has been at the forefront of the tensions; Brown was African-American, and the officer who shot him is white. 
 
 Two investigations -- one federal and one run by state prosecutors -- are in the early stages of trying to determine what led up to the shooting. 
 
 Investigators are grappling with witness statements that include shifting and contradictory stories, and some who appear to be reciting accounts of what they've seen in the media, two law enforcement sources told CNN. 
 
 Complete coverage of Michael Brown's shooting 
 
 Eliott C. McLaughlin reported from St. Louis, and Michael Pearson and Susanna Capelouto reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Shimon Prokupecz, Evan Perez, Aaron Cooper, Faith Karimi and Dana Ford contributed to this report. ||||| ST. LOUIS (AP) — Michael Brown's relatives said goodbye Monday to the 18-year-old who was shot and killed by a police officer, remembering him as a "gentle soul" with a deep and growing faith in Christianity and ambitions that one day "the world would know his name." 
 
 People attending the funeral services for Michael Brown sing on Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Brown, who is black, was unarmed when he was shot in Ferguson,... (Associated Press) 
 
 People begin to line up for the funeral of Michael Brown, Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, in St. Louis. Brown, who is black, was unarmed when he was shot Aug. 9, by Officer Darren Wilson, who is white. A grand... (Associated Press) 
 
 Director Spike Lee takes a picture of a black St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap on top of Michael Brown's casket on Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, during the funeral services at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist... (Associated Press) 
 
 The casket of Michael Brown is seen at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, before his funeral. Brown, who is black, was unarmed when he was shot in Ferguson,... (Associated Press) 
 
 Photos surround the casket of Michael Brown before the start of his funeral at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, Monday, Aug. 25, 2014. Brown, who is black, was unarmed when he... (Associated Press) 
 
 The casket of Michael Brown sits inside Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church awaiting the start of his funeral on Monday, Aug. 25, 2014. Brown, who is black, was unarmed when he was shot Aug. 9 in... (Associated Press) 
 
 People line up to make a path for the families' and friends' arrival at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church during the funeral for Michael Brown Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, in St. Louis. Brown, who is... (Associated Press) 
 
 People gather inside Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church for the funeral for Michael Brown on Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, in St. Louis. Brown, who is black, was unarmed when he was shot Aug. 9 in Ferguson,... (Associated Press) 
 
 Lesley McSpadden is comforted during the funeral services for her son Michael Brown on Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Hundreds of people gathered to... (Associated Press) 
 
 People begin to line up to attend the funeral for Michael Brown, Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, in St. Louis. Brown, who is black, was unarmed when he was shot Aug. 9 by Officer Darren Wilson, who is white. A... (Associated Press) 
 
 Thousands of mourners filled the massive Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis for the funeral, which began with upbeat music punctuated by clapping. Some mourners danced in place, and ushers passed out water and tissues. 
 
 Eric Davis, one of Brown's cousins, urged the crowd to go to the polls and push for change, saying the community has had "enough of the senseless killings." 
 
 Brown's uncle, Bernard Ewing, described Brown as a "big guy, but a kind, gentle soul." He recalled his nephew once telling the family that someday his name would be known by the wider world. 
 
 "He did not know he was offering up a divine prophecy at that time," Ewing said. 
 
 Another uncle, pastor Charles Ewing, said in his eulogy that Brown's "blood is crying from the ground, crying for vengeance, crying for justice." 
 
 Among the mourners was Will Acklin, a black man from Little Rock, Arkansas. 
 
 "It's important in that as a child I was pushed by police, mistreated by police, cursed by police, and I was a good kid," said Acklin, who is 63. "I was an honor student. When I heard this, I felt compelled to come here and show my respects." 
 
 Angela Pierre, a machine operator who once lived in Ferguson, where the shooting happened and fueled nearly two weeks of street protests, said she hopes the funeral helps turn a page and eases tensions. Most important, though, she hopes it provides healing for Brown's family. 
 
 "I really wanted to just be here today to pray for the family and pray for peace," said Pierre, 48, who is black. "When all of this dies down, there still a mother, father and a family who's lost someone. Sometimes a lot of the unrest takes away from that." 
 
 The church's sanctuary, which seats about 2,500, filled quickly. Overflow rooms holding another 2,000 were full, too. 
 
 With the church at capacity, many people could not get in and instead waited outside, crowded into shady areas on a day when the temperature was expected to come close to 100 degrees. Ambulance crews were on hand in case of any heat-related illnesses. 
 
 Poster-size photos of Brown, wearing headphones, were on each side of the closed casket, which had a St. Louis Cardinals ball cap atop it. Large projection screens showed a photo of Brown clutching his high school diploma while wearing his cap and gown. He had been scheduled to start training at a technical school two days after his death. He wanted to become a heating and air-conditioning technician. 
 
 Brown's father, Michael Brown Sr., has asked protesters to take a break Monday and observe a "day of silence" so the family can grieve. 
 
 "Tomorrow all I want is peace," he told hundreds of people Sunday in St. Louis' largest city park during brief remarks at a festival that promotes peace over violence. "That's all I ask." 
 
 Early Monday morning, Brown's request appeared to be honored. At the Ferguson Police Department, where a small but steady group of protesters have stood vigil for two weeks, a handmade sign announced a "break for funeral." The West Florissant Avenue commercial corridor was also devoid of protesters, whose ranks have typically swelled as days turned to nights. 
 
 Brown was unarmed when he was shot Aug. 9 by officer Darren Wilson, who is white. A grand jury is considering evidence in the case, and a federal investigation is also underway. 
 
 Police have said a scuffle broke out after Wilson told Brown and a friend to move out of the street and onto a sidewalk. Police said Wilson was pushed into his squad car and physically assaulted. Some witnesses have reported seeing Brown's arms in the air — an act of surrender. An autopsy found Brown was shot at least six times. 
 
 Family members denounced a video released by police, who say it shows Brown snatching some cigars in a convenience store just before he was killed. In the video, the person said to be Brown is seen grabbing a clerk by the shirt and forcefully pushing him into a display rack. 
 
 Family and friends say Brown was an aspiring rapper with a gentle, joking manner who dubbed himself "Big Mike." He was good at fixing things, liked computer games, the rapper Lil Wayne, Drake, the movie "Grown Ups 2," and the TV show "Family Guy." 
 
 "We don't want anything tomorrow to happen that might defile the name of Michael Brown," Sharpton said as he stood next to Brown's father on Sunday. "This is not about our rage tomorrow. It's about the legacy and memory of his son." 
 
 President Barack Obama sent three White House aides. Others in attendance included the Rev. Jesse Jackson, moviemaker Spike Lee and entertainer Sean Combs, as well as many local and regional civil rights leaders. The Rev. Al Sharpton was also expected to speak. 
 
 Monday also marked the first day back at school for students in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Classes were scheduled to begin Aug. 14 but postponed due to safety concerns. 
 
 School personnel have received training in how to deal with students who may be experiencing stress related to the shooting and its aftermath. 
 
 "I'm excited," said Marcus Baker, a junior at McCluer South-Berkeley High School. "We're ready to move forward. But we're still going to remember him." 
 
 ___ 
 
 Associated Press Writer Alan Scher Zagier in Ferguson contributed to this report. ||||| ST. LOUIS — His gold-and-black coffin was topped by a baseball cap — a palpable, personal reminder of the young man who was fatally shot by a police officer only weeks ago. But the calls from the pulpit were for Michael Brown’s memory to live on in a broad movement for justice, for voter participation, and for answers to vexing and unending questions about race and policing. 
 
 “There is a cry being made from the ground, not just for Michael Brown, but for the Trayvon Martins, for those children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, for the Columbine massacre, for the black-on-black crime,” the Rev. Charles Ewing, Mr. Brown’s uncle, told 2,500 people packed into the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church here on Monday for a funeral attended by family members but also by people Mr. Brown had never met — celebrities, representatives from the White House, members of Congress, civil rights leaders and hundreds of residents. 
 
 Infused with Scripture and song, the funeral was a mix of intimate reflections and national policy plans. Relatives reminisced in choked voices about Mr. Brown’s wide smile as a picture from his high school graduation flashed on two wide screens, as leaders urged those gathered to memorialize Mr. Brown’s life by carrying forward a vocal, strong and unified effort to seek change across the country.
– More than 2,500 mourners crowded Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis this morning to lay Michael Brown to rest, reports the AP, with another 2,000 in overflow seating and national television carrying the 18-year-old's funeral. Brown's casket was closed, with a St. Louis Cardinals cap atop it, notes the Post-Dispatch. His uncle, Bernard Ewing, recalled him as a "big guy, but a kind, gentle soul" in a service that the New York Times calls "deeply religious." The overarching message was one of change, with Brown's family members urging mourners to vote, and the Rev. Al Sharpton saying, "We are required to leave here today and change things. Michael Brown must be remembered for more than disturbances." Michael Brown Sr., wearing a tie bearing his son's image, had yesterday pleaded with protesters for "a day of silence so I can, so we can, lay our son to rest." Other highlights: Among those gathered: Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III, Spike Lee, Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. William Lacy Clay; family members of Trayvon Martin and Sean Bell; three White House representatives. Gov. Jay Nixon declined to attend "out of respect for the family." Sharpton on protesters who turned to violence, as per CNN: "Can you imagine, they're heartbroken, their son taken, discarded, and marginalized, and they have to stop mourning to get you to control your anger, like you're more angry than they are, like you don't understand that Michael Brown does not want to be remembered for a riot." The Rev. Charles Ewing, Brown's uncle who eulogized him: "Michael Brown's blood is crying from the ground, crying for vengeance, crying for justice. There is a cry being made from the ground, not just for Michael Brown, but for the Trayvon Martins, for those children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, for the Columbine massacre, for the black-on-black crime."