Ottumwa Council Opens Meeting With Satanic Invocation

Former Ottumwa City Council member Matt Dalbey opened the council’s Oct. 6 meeting with an invocation ending “Hail Satan,” prompting controversy in the Iowa city. Dalbey, a member of the Satanic Temple of Iowa, has said the group’s membership does not involve belief in a Satanic deity. New Life Center pastor Rick Bick called the invocation a curse and urged the council to reverse it; Mayor Benjamin Foote called for 30 seconds of silence, while council member Cara Galloway cautioned officials to remain neutral. Ottumwa adopted an invocation policy in January allowing residents of different faiths or belief systems to speak, and the city administrator said the invocation did not violate the policy; whether the council will reconsider it remains unresolved.