N.Y. RCO Law § 221 — New York Code / Act RCO / Article 11 / Section 221
Government of incorporated union churches
Status: in_force

§ 221. Government of incorporated union churches. Any union church or\nsociety having a common place of worship or holding property belonging\njointly to the several societies composing the same, but the sole right\nof occupancy of which is reserved to each of them in proportion to their\ninterest in such property, or the money originally paid therefor by\neach, or in accordance with their plan of union agreed on, may, if any\none or more of the churches or societies comprising such union church or\nsociety has ceased to exist, on the request of such remaining churches\nor society, redistribute and divide the time of occupancy among such\nremaining societies in proportion to their contributions to such\nproperty respectively, or in accordance with a new plan of union agreed\non by them. Such redistribution shall be made by the trustees of said\nunion church or society on written notice to the societies which it is\nalleged have ceased to exist; but no such society shall be deemed to\nhave ceased to exist unless it has failed or neglected for a period of\nfive consecutive years next preceding such request for redistribution,\nto hold meetings and have a clerk or secretary, and keep a list or\nregistry of its members, or to have preaching, prayer or conference\nmeetings, or other religious services in keeping with the usages of the\ndenomination to which it belongs.\n  Any one of the societies composing a union church or society, which\nshall have built a church edifice in the same village or neighborhood in\nwhich it holds its religious services, shall not thereby lose or forfeit\nin any way any of its rights or privileges in such union society, and\nthe maintaining of divine worship, or contributing to its support in its\nown building, shall be regarded the same as if it held its meetings in\nthe church building of such union society. Any notice for the election\nof trustees of the union society or for any other purpose which the law\nrequires to be read or given at the time of divine service, may be read\nor given in the church edifice so built by any one of such societies, if\nat the time religious services are not held in the church edifice of\nsuch union society. But such notice must be posted on the outer door of\nsuch union church edifice at least fifteen days before the meeting. If\nany society composing any such church union or society has a greater\ninterest in the occupancy of the church building than others, unless the\nseveral churches composing the union church or society have agreed\notherwise, the number of trustees shall be odd, and the trustees shall\nbe elected from such societies in proportion to their respective\ninterests in the union, church or society, as nearly as may be. Any\nsociety composing such union church or society, which has built for\nitself a church edifice and become incorporated, may sell its interest\nand right of occupancy in such union society, and convey the same, when\nauthorized so to do by a two-thirds vote of the voters thereof qualified\nto vote for union trustees, at a special meeting called for that\npurpose. The proceeds of such sale shall be used for the benefit of its\nchurch property.\n