N.Y.
Religious Corporations Law Section 15
Corporations with governing authority over, or advisory relations with, churches or synods, or both
1.
An unincorporated diocesan convention, presbytery, classes, synod unless otherwise provided, annual or biennial conference or convention, or other governing or advisory body having jurisdiction over or relations with several or a number of churches or synods, or synods and churches, some or all of which are located in this state, may at a meeting thereof duly held, determine to become incorporated by a designated name, and may by a plurality vote, elect not less than three nor more than fifteen persons to be the first trustees of such corporation. The presiding officer and clerk of such governing or advisory body shall execute and acknowledge a certificate stating that such proceedings were duly taken as herein provided, the name by which such corporation is to be known, and the names of such first trustees. On filing such certificate the members of such governing or advisory body and their successors shall be a corporation by the name stated in the certificate, and the persons named as trustees therein shall be the first trustees thereof. The trustees of every incorporated governing or advisory body and their successors shall hold their offices during the pleasure of such body, which may remove them and fill vacancies in accordance with its rules and regulations. Such corporation may hold its meetings and elect its trustees annually or biennially, and may hold its first and any other meetings outside this state if any of the churches or synods governed or advised by it are located outside of this state. Such corporation may take, administer and dispose of real and personal property in and outside this state for the benefit of such governing or advisory body or of any parish, congregation, society, church, mission, synod, religious, benevolent, charitable or educational institution existing or acting under or related to it, or of any religious work or activity. Such corporation may elect the members of unincorporated or incorporated boards to carry on particular lines of religious work or activity. Such corporation may have in addition to its by-laws, a constitution; and such constitution may be adopted or amended in such manner as the corporation will determine.2.
The trustees of every incorporated governing body of the Protestant Episcopal church in the state of New York, shall consist of the bishop of the diocese, who shall be ex-officio president of the corporation; the bishop coadjutor, should there be one, who shall be ex-officio vice-president of the corporation; and not less than three nor more than nine other persons, residents of the diocese, to be elected by the diocesan convention, and who shall hold their office for such term as shall be decided by the said convention. Vacancies in the board of trustees, occurring by reason of death, resignation, or removal from the diocese, may be filled by the remaining trustees, until the next diocesan convention.3.
The trustees, who shall constitute the governing body of the Federated Orthodox Greek Catholic Primary Jurisdictions in America, shall consist of the ecclesiastical administrative heads, also known as the hierarchs, of the four constituent primary jurisdictions together with the dean of the preceptorial council, the chancellor and the secretary of said federation and not more than eight additional trustees, communicants of the Orthodox Greek Catholic Church, who are to be elected or appointed by said four constituent primary jurisdictions. The term Federated Orthodox Greek Catholic Primary Jurisdictions in America, as used herein, is restricted to apply only (a) to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Oecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople exercised in the Americas and all the territorial possessions and/or dependencies or protectorates of the United States of America, by its duly authorized exarch, metropolitan, archbishop or bishop, (b) to the jurisdiction of the apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, exercised in the Americas and all the territorial possessions and/or dependencies or protectorates of the United States of America, by its duly authorized exarch, metropolitan, archbishop or bishop, (c) to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow exercised in the Americas and all the territorial possessions and/or dependencies or protectorates of the United States of America, by its duly authorized exarch, metropolitan, archbishop or bishop, (d) to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Serbia (Jugoslavia) exercised in the Americas and all the territorial possessions and/or dependencies or protectorates of the United States of America, by its duly authorized exarch, metropolitan, archbishop or bishop. All other Orthodox Greek Catholic jurisdictions, bishoprics, dioceses and missions, officially and canonically in communion with and acknowledged by all four of said primary jurisdictions, if certified by the secretariat thereof as affiliated with the Federated Orthodox Greek Catholic Primary Jurisdictions in America, may incorporate or re-incorporate under this section as affiliates thereof.4.
The trustees of every incorporated governing body of the four primary jurisdictions, respectively, specified in subdivision three of this section, or of any of the affiliates of said jurisdictions, shall consist of the hierarch or ecclesiastical administrator, who shall be ex-officio president of the corporation, the chancellor of the archdiocese, the dean of the archdiocesan theological faculty or one of the members thereof, and the secretary of the archdiocese, who are to be appointed by said hierarch and to serve at his pleasure and, in addition, not less than three nor more than nine other persons, communicants of the Orthodox Church, to be elected by said governing body or by the diocesan convention; the term of such elective first trustees shall be one-third for one year, one-third for two years, and one-third for three years, respectively, and the term of office of their successors shall be three years.5.
The trustees of every incorporated governing body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America shall consist of not less than three nor more than thirty persons. If the constitution or by-laws of such governing body so provides, the Bishop or president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary of such governing body shall be ex-officio trustees of such governing body. The remaining trustees shall be elected by the annual or other regular convention of such governing body if it does not meet annually, and shall hold their office for such term as shall be decided by the said convention. Vacancies in the board of trustees, occurring by reason of death, resignation or other cause, may be filled by the remaining trustees as provided in the constitution and by-laws of such governing body.
Source:
Section 15 — Corporations with governing authority over, or advisory relations with, churches or synods, or both, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RCO/15 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Oct. 26, 2024).
