WATERFORD — On Sunday, June 29, The Waterford Congregational Church will welcome popular author and pastor, The Rev. Kate Braestrup, to the 9:30 worship service and to speak at a brunch and coffee hour in the Wilkins House following the service.

Braestrup, an ordained Universalist Unitarian minister and a chaplain with the Maine Warden Service, will bring her wry, wise, unpretentious and unique view of faith to the Sunday gathering. Her sermon is titled “On Kissing Judas,” in which she will explore “how we fail at love and how love can overcome our failures.”

Following the service, Braestrup will speak about her experience with the Maine Warden Service at a brunch that begins at 11:30 at the Wilkins House next door to the church. She says she will talk about “what she has learned about love from Maine’s Game Wardens” and other aspects of the job from her unique perspective as one of Maine first Warden Service chaplains.

Braestrup has developed a substantial following in Maine through her work with the Maine Warden Service, in which she counsels and consoles families as they deal with fear, loss and grief.

As an author, she has a national following for her authentic voice and personal musings on the nature of loss and faith. Her powerful autobiographical book, “Here If You Need Me” — the story of her husband’s early death, her decision to enter the ministry to complete his own never-realized retirement plan and subsequent faith journey — was a New York Times bestseller. She also has published “Beginner’s Grace: Bringing Prayer to Life,” most recently, “Marriage and Other Acts of Charity” and a novel, “Onion.”

A popular speaker in faith communities throughout Maine, Braestrup sees strength in and reason for optimism for the survival of rural churches in New England. The most vibrant of them, she says, are “those that sense that church is not an end in and of itself, but a means to an end. These churches see themselves as instruments by which to effect positive change in the world rather.”

She also believes that these small rural churches shouldn’t worry too much about their demographics being heavy-weighted toward those aged 50 and older. “That’s how it’s supposed to be,” she says. “That’s the time in life when you’re supposed to be contemplating issues of faith — when you have the experience to know the questions, and the time and wisdom to contemplate them.”

Braestrup will entertain questions after the event in the Wilkins House. Everyone is welcome to both events. Refreshments will be served.