Ottumwa City Council opens October 6 meeting with Satanic Temple invocation by former member Matt Dalbey, who addresses “dark father,” cites Luciferian impulse, and closes with “Hail Satan” under the city’s new nondiscriminatory policy.

An unusual invocation at an Ottumwa City Council meeting has sparked controversy after former council member Matt Dalbey opened the October 6 session with a prayer associated with the Satanic Temple and ended with the words “Hail Satan.”

Dalbey, a former Ottumwa council member, delivered the invocation before the council proceeded with its regular agenda. The city allows people from different religious and philosophical backgrounds to offer opening invocations under a policy designed to accommodate a range of beliefs. 

According to local reporting, Dalbey’s invocation included references to a “dark father” and a “Luciferian impulse.” He later explained that the prayer was associated with the Satanic Temple and said the organization does not require belief in a literal Satanic deity. The Satanic Temple describes itself as a non-theistic religious organization. 

The invocation immediately drew a reaction from Pastor Rick Bick of New Life Center, who objected to the “Hail Satan” conclusion and called for what he described as a reversal of a curse placed on the city. His response occurred before the council had moved into the portion of the meeting designated for public comments. 

Council member Cara Galloway questioned the decision to allow the pastor to respond outside the normal speaking procedure. She also renewed concerns she had previously raised about the city’s invocation policy, arguing that allowing a broad range of religious expressions could create disputes and potentially expose taxpayers to legal costs. 

The city’s policy, adopted earlier this year, permits individuals representing different religious or philosophical perspectives to offer invocations. At the same time, it prohibits speakers from disparaging other faiths or using the opportunity to proselytize or recruit. It also states that council members and attendees cannot be required to participate. 

Mayor Benjamin Foote attempted to ease the tension by calling for a brief moment of silence before the council continued with its business. The meeting otherwise proceeded with the scheduled agenda. 

Ottumwa City Administrator Philip Rath later acknowledged that the broad nature of the policy can produce controversial situations such as this one. He said the policy could potentially be reviewed, while noting that restricting particular religious viewpoints could also expose the city to legal challenges. 

The incident has since drawn significant attention online, with the October 6 council meeting receiving thousands of views on YouTube by the following morning. The controversy has renewed a broader debate in Ottumwa over religious expression, government neutrality and how far an open invocation policy should extend.