Reclaim Your Presence: Join Cascade's Digital Fast This Lent
This Lent, starting Sunday, March 9th, Cascade Christian Reformed Church is embarking on a transformative journey: a 28-day Digital Fast. This isn't about throwing your phone away—it's about reimagining our relationship with technology and reclaiming our presence in the moments that matter most. Join us as we explore four phases: Detach, Discover, Delight, and Determine, both individually and as a united church community.
The Problem: Distraction and Disconnection
We live in a world saturated with digital noise. While technology offers incredible benefits, it often comes at a cost. Statistics reveal an alarming rise in anxiety, depression, and loneliness, particularly among young people. The very devices designed to connect us can ironically leave us feeling more isolated than ever. We've become so accustomed to the constant stream of notifications and distractions that we've lost touch with the present moment, with the people around us, and even with our own spiritual connection to God. Many of us feel addicted to our phones, or at least recognize the need to use them less. Social scientists have observed that this digital fixation numbs, sedates, and exhausts us, leading to a pervasive sense of disconnection – even a recognized phenomenon called "phubbing," or phone snubbing.
This isn't just about our relationships with each other; it's about our relationship with God. How can we hear His still, small voice amidst the cacophony of digital noise? How can we cultivate a deeper spiritual life when our attention is constantly fragmented?
The Solution: A Shared Journey of Transformation
At Cascade Christian Reformed, we believe that we can do better. We believe that we can reclaim our presence and cultivate a healthier relationship with technology. That's why we're launching the Digital Fast. This isn't just a personal challenge; it's a shared experience, a journey we'll take together as a church community.
WHAT … is the Digital Fast?
The Digital Fast is a 28-day program designed to help us reimagine and re-examine our relationship with technology. It's an opportunity to challenge ourselves, to create new habits, and to discover a more balanced way of engaging with the digital world. This isn't about giving up technology entirely; it's about using it intentionally, thoughtfully, and in a way that enhances our lives rather than detracts from them.
So, as a church, we’re going to band together and engage in a shared experience to intentionally reduce digital distraction and deliberately increase spiritual devotion.
We’re doing this for you, your family, your relationships with each other, your relationship with your Heavenly Father, and for us as the church. We can model well for culture to demonstrate what a healthy relationship with technology looks like.
Together, we can turn down the noise and experience the time, space, and mental clarity to listen to the voice of God.
HOW… does it work?
The Digital Fast officially begins on the first Sunday of Lent, March 9th. Here's how you can participate:
The Digital Fast Workbook: This free workbook will be your guide throughout the 28 days, filled with devotions, exercises, and experiences designed to help you reconnect with what matters most.
Aro App: We'll be using the Aro app (yes, an app to help us disconnect!) to collectively track the time we intentionally spend off our phones each week. This will provide a powerful group metric, encouraging and holding us accountable as we journey together. Download it now at https://start.goaro.com/org (look for “Cascade Christian Reformed Church.”).
Weekly Group Discussions: The workbook includes discussion guides from Thinq Media, facilitating deeper reflection and connection as we share our experiences with others.
WHY… participate?
Collective Action. Collective action removes the isolating and demotivating feeling of doing something alone. By participating in a group, participants do not feel left out. For this reason, students respond very favorably when “everyone is doing it.” The Aro app, which quantifies the group’s aggregate time away from phones, and the weekly discussion guides from Thinq, supercharge the experience.
Clear Curriculum. The Digital Fast 28-day guide provides clear, daily instruction and curriculum on what the participants do. Ambiguity is one of the biggest impediments to action, and The Digital Fast curriculum addresses that roadblock.
Christ-Centered Focus. The Digital Fast is more than just putting down your phone. It is picking up devotion through a spiritual journey with God. Because “nature abhors a vacuum,” The Digital Fast replaces phone time with something much more valuable.
Personal Transformation: I (your pastor) have already begun incorporating many of these practices into my own life and have experienced increased focus, attentiveness, and joy. I want to be fully present with my wife, my children, and my God. I don't want to miss out on precious moments because I'm distracted by my phone. I want to be wholehearted. I believe this Digital Fast can help you experience similar transformation.
A Model for Our Community: As a church, we can model a healthy relationship with technology for the wider community, demonstrating what it means to live intentionally and connect authentically.
Who is this for?
The full Digital Fast program (workbook, Aro app, and weekly discussions) is designed for adults, high school students, and most middle school students. We encourage all our church groups – youth groups, small groups, and others – to promote and participate in this important initiative.
Join the Movement
Join hundreds of thousands of Christians across the US in 2025 who are participating in the Digital Fast. Together, we can turn down the noise and create the space to hear the voice of God. Let's reclaim our presence and rediscover the joy of true connection. Pick up your workbook, download the Aro app, and join us on this transformative journey! We'll see you on March 9th!
With You;
Pastor Tim
