Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Satanic Invocation at Iowa Council Sparks Meeting Debate
Before a city council meeting in Ottumwa, Iowa, Matt Dalbey gave a prayer to Satan.
The article says the city lets residents of any faith or belief give an opening invocation.
Pastor Rick Bick objected and wanted to say a prayer to undo what he called a curse.
Council member Cara Galloway said the meeting had already moved on.
Mayor Benjamin Foote then asked everyone to have a moment of silence.
Later, Galloway said the event showed why she had worried about having invocations at meetings.
The disagreement was about religious expression and how the council should respond.
Ottumwa resident and former city council member Matt Dalbey delivered a Satanic invocation before a council meeting.
The article says Ottumwa adopted a policy allowing residents of any faith or belief system to give opening invocations.
Pastor Rick Bick called for an immediate response, saying Dalbey's words had placed a curse on the city.
Council member Cara Galloway said the invocation was over and the meeting should proceed; Mayor Benjamin Foote called for a moment of silence.
Galloway later said the incident illustrated her concerns about allowing invocations at council meetings.
- Who
- Matt Dalbey, Pastor Rick Bick, Council member Cara Galloway, and Mayor Benjamin Foote.
- What
- Dalbey gave a Satanic invocation at a city council meeting, prompting objections and a dispute over whether to respond immediately.
- When
- Tuesday night, October 6; the article does not specify the year for the meeting.
- Where
- Ottumwa, Iowa.
- Why
- The council's invocation policy allows residents of any faith or belief system to deliver an opening invocation; Bick objected to Dalbey's prayer and called for it to be reversed.
Support for Open Invocations
Concerns About Invocations
Who may give an invocation
Support for Open Invocations
The policy described in the article allows residents of any faith or belief system to deliver an opening invocation.
Concerns About Invocations
Galloway said allowing invocations means permitting viewpoints that may not reflect everyone’s beliefs, and reiterated her concerns about the practice.
Responding to the prayer
Support for Open Invocations
Bick said the invocation should be answered immediately because he believed it had placed a curse on the city.
Concerns About Invocations
Galloway said the invocation had ended and the meeting should move forward; Foote called for a moment of silence.
- City
- Ottumwa, Iowa
- Invocation speaker
- Matt Dalbey, an Ottumwa resident and former city council member
- Invocation policy
- The article says the council passed a policy on January 20, 2026, allowing residents of any faith or belief system to register to give an opening invocation.
- Objector
- Pastor Rick Bick called for an immediate prayer to reverse what he described as a curse.
- Council response
- Mayor Benjamin Foote called for a moment of silence.
- Later criticism
- Cara Galloway said the episode reflected her concerns about allowing invocations at council meetings.