Satanic Invocation Sparks Uproar at Ottumwa City Council Meeting
Former council member Matthew Dalbey delivered a Satanic invocation at an Ottumwa city meeting, prompting a pastor to label the prayer a curse on the city.
Former city council member Matthew Dalbey opened an Ottumwa City Council meeting on October 6 with a Satanic invocation that began with "Dear Dark Father" and concluded with "Hail Satan." Dalbey, a member of The Satanic Temple of Iowa, stated the prayer does not involve belief in a satanic deity.
The invocation sparked an immediate uproar, leading New Life Center pastor Rick Bick to interrupt the proceedings to declare the prayer a "curse on the city" and demand it be reversed. In response, Mayor Benjamin Foote ordered a 30-second period of silence for reflection before the council proceeded with its agenda.
The incident follows the January adoption of Resolution 18-2026, a non-discrimination policy that allows any resident to volunteer for a two-minute invocation to respect diverse belief systems. City Administrator Philip Rath noted that the open policy protects the city from legal challenges and that amending it could invite lawsuits.
Council member Cara Galloway, who cast the sole vote against the policy's adoption, opposed the mayor's call for silence and argued the council should have moved forward with city business. She warned that allowing such invocations creates a "financial liability on the taxpayers" and invites controversy the city cannot realistically control. Following the event, the city reported receiving numerous phone calls, many containing profanities. Dalbey is scheduled to deliver the invocation again on November 3.
