Christian Discipline

Announcement before Excommunication

The session, before excommunicating anyone, shall make three announcements in which the obstinacy of the sinner and the nature of his offence are explained, and the congregation is urged to pray for him and to admonish him.
1. In the first announcement neither the name of the sinner nor the sin shall be mentioned;
2. In the second announcement (with the concurrence of the presbytery) the name of the sinner and the sin shall be made known;
3. In the third announcement, the congregation shall be informed that, unless the sinner repents, he will be excommunicated at a specified date.