About Me

SHARI JACKSON MONSON

Call: I guide people who lead the church during seasons of change.  Interim By Design is a place for leaders to draw inspiration,  find and share practical resources, and participate together as a learning community.

Vocation: I serve as Transitional Pastor at Lacey Presbyterian Church. Prior to LPC I served as Interim Head of Staff/Senior Pastor at John Knox Presbyterian Church. Before Knox I served in similar roles at West Side Presbyterian Church, in West Seattle, at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church in Spokane, WA, and at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Chehalis, WA.

Research: I study the vocational practices of interim pastors that sustain vitality in ministry. This winter I will be launching a doctoral research project on this topic. If you are an interim or transitional pastor and would like to learn more contact me.

Leadership: I coach people who lead change in the church. Visit my leadership coaching page to learn more or get in touch with me.

Governance: I serve as Chair of the Board of the Thai Christian Foundation and recently completed nine years on the Board of Medical Teams International.

Skills: I am an accomplished ministry strategist whose impact is seen in staffing models, strategic plans, mission studies, and mission partnerships around the world. My well-worn passport illustrates a passion for bringing hope to people experiencing change, crisis, conflict, or living in poverty.

Education: Life and ministry in the Middle East, South Asia, SE Asia, Central America, and Sub Saharan Africa add a global flavor to my perspective on the world. I hold degrees from Seattle Pacific University (BA), Drew University (MA), Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India (post MA), and Fuller Theological Seminary (MDiv). Currently I am in the Doctorate of Ministry program at Seattle University.    

My husband Craig and I make our home in western Washington. We have a globe-trotting daughter and home-hearth warming son.  

~ June 2020

INTERIM MINISTRY PREACHING RESOURCES

Recent series

Love One Another Being the Church Jesus Longs For a sermon series for divisive times. A series about maintaining unity in the church (Spring 2016, 2018, and 2019).

Acts: Being Christians Where We Live a sermon series rooted in the early church experiences of harrowing journeys, personal grit, lively debates, and stunning disagreements. May be a useful series when conducting a mission study or experimenting with adaptive change (Christian formation class 2017, sermon series 2019).

Easter’s Breathtaking Good News Easter 2020. Preaching the risen Christ in the midst of a global pandemic has us all wondering anew just what it means to be the church in the 21st century.

Living in the New Creation a 10 week series about leadership for a new era in the church, a post Easter series for Eastertide 10 weeks leading up to Pentecost. Supports the ministry tasks of Pastor Nominating Committee formation, training, and beyond. Includes: Agents of God’s Mission in the New Creation.

Finding Courage in Chaotic Times Leadership succession in the Bible from Elijah to Elisha: a sermon series in 1 and 2 Kings for ordinary time, packed with timely resources (fall 2019).

The Gospel According to Matthew a series about-to-be-published in three parts. Come & See for Advent thru Epiphany. Come & Take Up the Cross a Lenten series. Come & Follow an Eastertide series (winter and spring 2020).

Older series

Time, Talent, and Treasure a fall-oriented series introducing a congregation to interim ministry and including a stewardship mini-series; Pardon Me, Do You Have the Time?, Honoring God’s Sabbath, No Rest for the Weary?, Living in the Present: Enjoying the Ride, Discerning God’s Call at Work, Service as Common Vocation, Everything, Redefining Rich, Determination and Love, and Giving in Gratitude.

Nehemiah: Shoulder to Shoulder in a Broken World, a ‘missional church’ series exploring passages from the book of Nehemiah and the Gospel of Mark side by side.

The Rest of Your Life a summer-oriented series designed to support a season during which a Pastor Nominating Committee works, series includes: The Rest That Jesus Gives, Resting and Waiting, When Rest is Interrupted, When Sabbath Goes Awry, Being Good Neighbors, Rest Means Trusting in God’s Provision, Rest Means Remembering Who You Are, Resting in the Image of God, Resting in the Midst of Crisis, and Rested and Ready to Go (video) (manuscript)

Advent and Christmastide

The Gospel According to Matthew a series about-to-be-published in three parts. Come & See for Advent thru Epiphany. Come & Take Up the Cross a Lenten series. Come & Follow an Eastertide series (winter and spring 2020).

The Roots of Christmas based on Jesse Tree imagery using portions of Ann Voscamp’s book Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: a Family Celebration of Christmas.

The Messiah: An Advent Celebration Advent Sundays Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Christmas Eve: Already Born! Christmas Sundays focusing on refugees Raising Jesus on the Run.

Expectant hope, peace, joy love Advent series

Lent and Eastertide

Called: a Lenten sermon and small group series utilizing Mark Labberton’s book Called: the Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today. Sermons include: Called to Flourish, Called to be Salt and Light, Called to be Living Stones, Called to Bear the Cross, and Called to Go Forward, and Hope in Hard Places: an Easter Sermon (the Road to Emmaus).

Forgiveness a Lenten sermon and small group series: Made for Faithfulness, The Miracle of Small Things, The Art of Apology, As We Forgive Our Debtors

Local Church

Amplify Hope: Gospel Good News from Far Flung Corners of the Earth a summer oriented series introducing a congregation to a new interim pastor, featuring global and local voices of mission leaders from the Middle East, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Tacoma, Seattle, and beyond. Series could easily be adapted to other voices and locales.

Belonging: Making Room for All, Belonging Through Baptism, Friendship in the Church, Generous Gifts of the Spirit, Belong to Be Sent, and Listening to Jesus.

Philippians: God’s Story in Ours: supports the interim task commonly referred to as “coming to terms with the past”. Series includes Confidence and Courage Phil 1:1-11, Lives Worthy of the Gospel Phil 1:27-30, The Downward Path Phil 2:1-11, Shining Like Stars in the Universe Phil 2:12-18, Profit and Loss Phil 3:7-11, Pressing Forward Phil 3:21-21, and Joy in the Present Phil 4:4-9.

It all started when…

I had just completed training to become certified as a transitional pastor.

Low, and behold, the many training resources promised to me, were simply not available.

So I began to curate my own collection of helpful things like liturgies, preaching series, interview questions, and the like. Friends began to ask me to share them. And thus was born a blog that has grown into this website.

make yourself at home…

You are welcome here. Borrow anything you like. Adapt it to your ministry setting. Leave comments. I love it when colleagues share ideas, write guest blog posts, and the like.

At its best, Interim By Design is a learning community for all who are drawn to serve the church in seasons of transitional and interim ministry.

ABOUT ME

Welcome!

I am an intentional interim pastor who delights in helping churches and organizations transition to new leadership. I feel a deep call to serve as a catalyst among colleagues in this field of ministry.

Interim By Design believes transitional ministry seasons are vital to church health and may be approached with hope and joy.  Together we are a learning community of people who lead the church during seasons of change.

I am currently designing a doctoral research project to learn about the practices that sustain vocational vitality in interim leaders. If you’d like to learn more about this research project please contact me.

December 2020

"We have this treasure in jars of clay
to show that this all-surpassing power
is from God and not from us."

2 Corinthians 4:7