Actually they, the SDAs, dont do either what they do is to 'Drop Membership' as they now call it. It was beleived in the past Disfellowshiping had negative sentiment and so they changed the name, of course they have never shunned.
I sometimes have a look on a website called Former Adventist Fellowship and being an Adventist who is in the Gospel side of the church and opposed to traditional Cultic Adventism I agree with a lot of their material.
This thread is titled 'Request to drop membership'
Posted on Monday June 2004 My husband wrote a letter a few weeks ago to the SDA church he had his last membership at. He got a response letter today, so I thought I,d share it with you all.
Dear xxxxxxxx
At the xxxxxxx Church business meeting this past week, it was voted to drop youre name from membership at the xxxxxx Adventist Church, at youre request.
Though we regret that you have made this decision , we want to assure you that we respect your wishes and believe that our gracious God will lead you and bless you abundantly.We rejoice in the same gospel of grace, and look forward to meeting you in heaven one day, with warm christian greetings.
xxxxxxxxx
Senior Pastor.
I thought it was quite a decent letter as in my experiance with the SDAs and also the Baptists just ignore such requests to drop membership and the person doesnt know whether his or her wishes have been implemented.
You can read the whole thread on http://64.227.85.187/discus/messages/11/2074.html?1087939034
Barry