Whos the person with the big stick who makes the announcements and lines people up before circle?
The person — usually, though not always, a man — with the staff who makes announcements before and after ritual, leads people into ritual, and stands at the temple door during it (or walks around the perimeter of the area, in the case of outdoor rituals), is called the Summoner. He is responsible for the safety and security of the community, for welcoming new people and helping them get oriented, and for preparing people for ritual and leading them in when it is time to start. Think of him as a combination security guard and welcome wagon. According to legend, during the Burning Times (the mediaeval witch persecutions), the Summoner was charged with defending the coven, and especially the High Priestess, in the event of discovery by the Inquisition. He was expected to lay down his own life if needed in order to defend hers. These days, a Summoner is more likely to find himself making sure that someone having an asthma attack gets to her Ventolin inhaler safely, or explaining to wande
