Hilary Seraph Donaldson is a writer, choral conductor, and congregational song enlivener based in Toronto, Canada. Hilary's practice blends a passion for global song, community music-making, and the drama of worship with academic study and a love for scripture. A graduate of the Sacred Music programme at Perkins School of Theology (Southern Methodist University, Dallas), she is motivated by a belief in the transformative power of congregational song to strengthen relationships, deepen prayer, and nurture community. She currently serves as a minister of music at Eastminster United Church in Toronto's lively and diverse Danforth Ave. neighbourhood, and is an active member of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. Hilary's website and blog, Transforming Every Guest, is a forum for her to explore ideas of congregational song and the life of the church.

A unique aspect of Hilary's ministry of congregational song is the original web video series Break into Song. This free resource was designed to equip people to teach new music in worship with confidence and understanding. Even with all of the excellent printed resources song leaders have at their disposal, exploring new music in worship can be daunting; Break into Song is founded on the idea that it is easiest to teach a song when you've learned it first from a friend who knows it well. Each episode focuses on a particular song, giving background context, detailed teaching tips, and suggested worship uses.