Good to hear Kathy. I agree with the other sentiments regarding yawl's
effectiveness on that community. In a strange way, perhaps Chris's
rebellion shows to the community that things aren't perfect, Christians
don't have to   live two lives. One of button collared and white picket
fence, and the other that of having to deal with real lives, real problems
of a family growing itself in the weed infested garden on Earth.
Perhaps  instead of seeing and saying "oh dear, what kind of pastor would
let his son behave in such way, how disgraceful, I would never do that..."
and so on, perhaps they are saying "Wow, look at our pastor, even though he
has things to work out in his family, like I do, he is still as real as you
or I, and that makes me feel a part of a family, as though I'm not so off".
So many folks put on smiles, wear ironed shirts, pat their kids on the head
as they direct their children down the pew, take their wives wraps, sit in
the pew straight postured, meanwhile   knowing when service is over, in the
car the kids will bicker, he and his wife will likely argue about
something, and the real life once again takes over. I bet we've all done
that at one time or other. And of course it probably isn't wise to reply to
every stranger approaching you in the meet and greet part of service asking
"Good morning brother! How are you doing this morning?" and a reply coming
forth as "Well I'll tell ya, I got financial issues, not sure I can make
the house payment, my wife and I are not getting along and I fear she's
falling out of love with me, my kids are rebellious, and I just don't feel
that great lately". *smile* yet we ought not do the complete opposite
either. Church ought to be a place we can count on for support and help
when we need it, not a place we come to play act everything is alright if
it in fact is not. Jesus didn't ask the 70 disciples to pray with  him at
the garden, in fact he didn't even ask the 12, he asked only three. But he
neither said, "hey guys, everything's OK, if you don't mind though, I'm
just going to take a walk to check out the wildlife and I'll be back in a
bit" and then run off and pray as sweat of blood would run down. So, your
transparency of your family's trials with Chris may well have gone a long
way to bring you and Greg more down to the level of your congregation in
your congregation's eyes, and therefore bring a real sense of humanness and
imperfectness in everyone. I love the saying "If you want people to stop
shooting holes in your boat, put them in the boat with you" and that I
think is what has occurred to some degree with yawl in Maine.

Brad