What to expect at a public ritual
As you enter, there may be Graces at the gate who welcome you, purify you with smoke or water or anointing oil, and point out the mailing list, donation jar, and facilities. If donations are being collected for charity, like canned foods or toiletries, they will point out where those should go, and indicate where pot luck items should be placed. [make them room temperature or warmer friendly!] They can also answer questions. Then get comfortable and settle in for a bit, feel free to mingle around and introduce yourself.
When the ritual is to begin, drummers may begin to play what we call a "gathering rhythm" near the circle where the ritual will occur, and there may be a procession of priestesses entering the space by the gate, singing a song or chant of some kind. This is the signal for those present to form a circle in the space and join in the song.
A priestess will welcome those gathered, and explain the facilities, where bathrooms are, etc. Then someone will explain the meaning of the Feast or Sabbat, the intention of the rite at hand, and teach any songs that will be sung.
Everyone will be led in a "grounding and centering" or "earthing" exercise", to clear our minds of our everyday concerns and bring us fully present in the moment.
The circle is "cast", and then the invocations begin - east, south, west, north; representing the elements of air, fire, water, and earth with spirit in the center. There may be an invocation to, or an honoring of, the Ancestors, and then the Fae. Then we invoke whatever deities are necessary to support the work, or who are associated with the holiday.
Then there is what we call The Heart Of The Ritual, which is whatever the actual work is that we will be doing, whether a guided meditation, journey, crafting of power objects, or what have you. Then we sing a chant to raise a "Cone of Power" to activate our desire and release our intentions into the universe. While "raising energy" we will usually dance in the circle, either unstructured, or in a Spiral Dance, or in a ring dance, or some other form of movement.
When the energy is released we all ground again. Occasionally food or drink will be shared in circle, but more commonly we just say good bye to all the powers we called into the circle, in reverse order from how they were called, and open the circle.
Once the circle is opened, there are usually brief announcements and often a drum jam and/or a potluck feast.
Hope this gives some idea of the basics of Tejas Web's liturgy. See you at the next ritual!