Ottumwa City Council meeting sparks outcry over Satanic invocation

A meeting of the Ottumwa City Council in Iowa sparked significant controversy after former council member Matt Dalbey opened the session with a Satanic invocation. Dalbey, a member of The Satanic Temple, addressed the “dark father” and concluded his remarks with “Hail Satan.”

Following the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, Rick Bick, a pastor at the New Life Center, interrupted the proceedings to demand the council renounce the prayer, which he characterized as a “curse” on the city. While council member Cara Galloway requested that Bick wait for the scheduled public comment period, Mayor Benjamin Foote intervened, calling for 30 seconds of silence for prayer and reflection.

Mayor Foote stated that the invocation does not reflect the values or faith of the community. The incident follows a city policy adopted in January intended to respect the diversity of religious and non-religious belief systems. Dalbey has defended the act by noting that The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic organization that uses Satan as a symbol of individual freedom and independent thought.