Gammel named new leader of Dungeness congregation

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Randy Gammel of Sequim was recently ordained as the new ecclesiastical leader, or bishop, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the Dungeness congregation of the church.

Gammel succeeds Rich Carlile, who was bishop for the past 16 months but whose family has relocated out of state because of family needs.

More typically, church members said, a bishop serves for five years as circumstances allow.

Bishop Gammel will be assisted by two counselors: Brian Hughes and Kevin Jenks.

Together, the “bishopric” oversees the spiritual and social needs of the Dungeness Ward members (a geographical section of Sequim roughly west of Fifth Avenue). This Ward, one of two located in Sequim, has about 500 members.

In the Latter-day Saint Church, a bishop leads a local congregation known as a ward, with duties similar to those of a pastor, priest or rabbi, they said. The bishop is a member of the congregation who has been asked by church authorities to serve, and the position is unpaid.

In addition to spiritual matters, a bishop oversees church programs to help members become more self-reliant. He also works directly with the youth, encouraging them to grow and develop into “spiritual, well-adjusted, and productive adults,” church members said.

Gammel has served as Young Men’s President, Elder’s Quorum President, Deacons’ and Priests’ Quorums Advisor, Scout Master, and most recently as Assistant Ward Mission Leader. As a 19-year-old, he served 1975-1977 in the Tallahassee Florida Mission. He and his wife Candy served a senior couple mission at the Mormon Handcart Historic Sites in Wyoming in 2019, where they led pioneer handcart trek reenactments.

He is now retired from Gammel Tile, where he was owner and craftsman since 1978. He and Candy are the parents of two children and they have three grandchildren.

Sunday services for the Dungeness Ward are held at 9 a.m. at 815 W. Washington St. The Sequim Bay Ward, whose boundaries are roughly east of Fifth Avenue, meets at noon in the same building.