By their inactivity they have shown their sin publicly. There is probably nothing wrong with the current process, with the exception of the wording. A session of that denomination presented a paper questioning the long-standing practice of such erasures and has proposed possible amendments to their book of church order. Many sessions serve the Lord's Supper to individuals who are not members of the visible church. Some folks are received into membership without the session inquiring into previous affiliations or if the applicant is under any form of discipline.
Many sessions fail to request a letter of transfer.
Some sessions authorize the baptism of infants whose parents are not communicant members of their congregation. Sessions often permit people to attend and involve themselves in nearly all the privileges of church membership for long periods of time without even approaching them to commit to the local body of believers. The list is virtually endless. Reaffirmation of faith is when an individual has previously confessed faith in Christ but in a church whose doctrines or practices differ enough from that which we are not willing to endorse. A prolonged illness is a providential hindrance and would not be under consideration here.