reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 67 § 33 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 33 - New or Rejuvenated Meeting Houses; Acquisition of Funds by Selling Pews

Section 33. Such corporation, for the purpose of building a new house, or of altering, enlarging, repairing, rebuilding or removing a house already built, may sell the same or take down any pews therein, the pews taken being first appraised by three or more disinterested persons chosen for that purpose. The pews newly erected shall be sold by the treasurer by public auction to the highest bidder, and bills of sale thereof shall be given. The money arising from such sale shall be applied, so far as necessary, to paying the appraised value of the pews taken down; and the deficiency, if any, shall be paid by the corporation within thirty days after the sale.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 34 - Meeting-Houses Unfit for Worship; Rights of Pew Owners to Compensation

Section 34. The preceding section shall not entitle a person to compensation for a pew taken down in a meeting house which is unfit for the purposes of public worship.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 35 - Assessments on Pews

Section 35. A corporation for religious purposes may assess upon the pews in a church or meeting house which it has erected or procured for public worship since March twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and forty-five, according to a valuation of said pews previously agreed upon, and recorded by the clerk, sums of money for the support of public worship and other parochial charges, and for the repairs of the house. Such assessments may be collected in the manner provided in sections thirty and thirty-one.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 36 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 36 - Assessments on Pews; Consent of Owners

Section 36. Such corporation which had erected or procured such house prior to said date may avail itself of the provisions of the preceding section, if the consent of all the pew owners is obtained, or if two thirds of its members present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose so determined.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 37 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 37 - Purchase of Pews

Section 37. A corporation which votes to avail itself of the provisions of section thirty-five shall, upon the application of a person owning a pew in its house, within one year after said vote, purchase such pew at the value determined by three disinterested persons, one of whom shall be chosen by the pew owner, one by the corporation, and the third by the two appraisers.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 38 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 38 - Property Status of Pews

Section 38. Pews shall be personal estate.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 39 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 39 - Protestant Episcopal Societies; Organization

Section 39. In religious societies belonging to the Protestant Episcopal Church or the Reformed Episcopal Church, the rector or one of the wardens may, unless otherwise provided in some by-law, preside at their meetings with all the powers of a moderator; and the wardens, or wardens and vestry, may exercise all the powers of a standing committee in accordance with the usages and discipline of said churches. Unless they assess or collect a tax on the pews, such societies need not choose a collector or assessors; and they may in their by-laws provide that the duties of assessors shall be performed by the wardens. The officers upon whom the duties of standing committee or assessors may devolve shall be elected by ballot.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 40 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 40 - Methodist Episcopal Churches; Organization

Section 40. The trustees of any society of the United Methodist Church, or of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, appointed according to the Discipline or usages thereof, respectively, or as such society chooses, may organize and become a corporation with the powers and duties prescribed by chapter one hundred and fifty-five, subject, however, to account to the charge conference of such society according to the aforesaid Discipline and usages.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 41 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 41 - Powers of Trustees

Section 41. Such trustees may receive, hold and manage all the real and personal property belonging to such society, may sell and convey the same, and may hold in trust gifts, grants, bequests or devises to such society for the support of public worship and for other religious purposes.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 42 - First Meeting of Trustees, Etc.

Section 42. The first meeting of such trustees may, upon the application of three or more of them, be called by a justice of the peace, and at such meeting the trustees may choose a secretary and other officers. The provisions of this chapter relative to the warning and organization of meetings of religious societies shall, so far as appropriate, apply to meetings for the organization of the trustees. The secretary, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall be sworn to the faithful performance thereof, and a record of such oath shall be made in the records of the trustees.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 43 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 43 - Filing Record of Organization

Section 43. An attested copy of the record of the proceedings at such organization shall be filed with the state secretary, within the time prescribed in section twenty-six; otherwise the organization shall be void.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 44 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 44 - Roman Catholic Churches; Incorporation

Section 44. The Roman Catholic archbishop or bishop of the diocese in which a Roman Catholic church is erected or intended to be erected, the vicar-general of such diocese and the pastor of such church, for the time being, or a majority of them, may associate with themselves two laymen, communicants of said church, and may, with such laymen, sign a certificate in duplicate, showing the name or title by which they and their successors shall be known as a body corporate, which certificate shall be acknowledged in the same manner as conveyances of land. One copy of such certificate shall be filed in the office of the state secretary, and the other recorded in the registry of deeds in the county where such church is erected or intended to be erected; and thereupon such church shall be a body corporate by the name expressed in such certificate, and the persons so signing the same shall be the trustees thereof.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 45 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 45 - Status and Powers of Archbishop's Successor

Section 45. The successor of any archbishop, bishop, vicar-general or pastor shall, by virtue of his office, be for the time being a member of such corporation in place of his predecessor; and such laymen shall hold office respectively for one year; and when the office of any such layman becomes vacant, his successor shall be appointed in the manner provided for the original selection.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 46 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 46 - Powers of Corporation

Section 46. Such corporation may receive, hold and manage all real and personal property belonging to such church; may sell and convey the same; and may hold in trust gifts, grants, bequests or devises to such church for the support of public worship and for other religious purposes; but all the property belonging to any one church or parish and held by such corporation shall never exceed one hundred thousand dollars exclusive of the church buildings.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 47 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 47 - Incorporation of Churches

Section 47. Any church may be incorporated under the following sections.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 48 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 48 - Notice of Meeting

Section 48. A notice, signed by one or more of the members of such church, stating the object, time and place of the meeting for its incorporation, and the first election of officers, shall, at least fifteen days before such meeting, be posted in a conspicuous place near one of the principal entrances of the usual place of meeting of said church.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 49 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 49 - Election of Officers

Section 49. At the time and place stated in said notice, the resident members of such church may assemble at their place of worship and by ballot elect a moderator, a clerk, who shall be sworn, a treasurer, a standing committee of not less than three nor more than twenty-four members or a board of trustees, managers, directors, executive committee, prudential committee, wardens and vestry or other officers with the powers of a standing committee, and such other officers as they may deem necessary.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 50 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 50 - By-Laws

Section 50. The church may make by-laws and may prescribe therein the manner in which and the officers and agents by whom the purposes of its incorporation may be effected. If no provision is made by a vote or by-law of the church for calling meetings, they shall be called in such manner as the standing committee may direct.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 51 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 51 - Certification of Organization to State Secretary

Section 51. The standing committee or other officers shall certify the organization of such church to the state secretary, in such form as he shall prescribe; and upon payment of a fee of five dollars to the secretary shall perform the same duties and with the same legal effect as in the case of corporations organized under chapter one hundred and eighty.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 52 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 52 - Church Members Only to Be Members of Corporation; Associate Membership

Section 52. None but members of such church shall be members of such corporation, and only resident members shall vote; but any such corporation may, upon such conditions as it may prescribe, admit any regular financial supporters of the church to associate membership, with a vote upon financial questions only: provided, that no action of a meeting in which associate members have taken part, looking to the reduction of a minister's salary or the alienation of church property, shall be valid until the same has been ratified by a meeting of church members only, or until sixty days have elapsed without a written request of ten church members for such a meeting.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 53 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 53 - Conveyances by Church Officers

Section 53. The deacons, wardens, trustees or similar officers of a church so incorporated which holds real or personal property under chapter sixty-eight may, subject to the same uses and trusts as when held by them, convey it to said church.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 54 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 54 - Conveyances From Religious Societies

Section 54. Any religious society connected with a church so incorporated may, at any meeting called for the purpose, by a three fourths vote, authorize one or more persons in its name and behalf to convey any real or personal property belonging to it to such church, and such property shall thereafter be held by the church subject to the same uses and trusts as when held by said religious society.
MA Gen L ch 67 § 55 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies|Section 55 - Orthodox Churches; Incorporation

Section 55. This section shall apply to all churches, congregations, parishes, committees and other religious organizations governed by jurisdictions, archdioceses and dioceses of any Orthodox Patriarchate, Synod or national church of the Orthodox Church (the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church), recognized by the apostolic historic Orthodox Patriarchates of Constantinople, Antioch, Moscow and Yugoslavia and in general to all churches, congregations, parishes, committees and other religious organizations founded or established with the intent and for the purpose of adhering to and maintaining the apostolic and historic communion, doctrine, discipline, canon law, tradition, worship and unity of the Orthodox Church.  An unincorporated church, congregation, parish or any other religious organization may apply to the appropriate hierarch, archbishop, bishop or administrator for permission to incorporate under this section. When such permission has been granted in writing, it shall be attached to the certificate of incorporation.  The certificate of incorporation shall be in the form provided by the state secretary for religious corporations and must, in addition, recite therein that the purpose and intent of the corporation is to maintain, propagate, practice and forever perpetuate religious worship, services, sacraments and teachings in full accordance and unity with the doctrine, ritual, canon law, faith, practice, discipline, traditions and usages of the Orthodox Church and for the carrying out of the said purpose and intent to maintain a religious organization which will be adherent and obedient to the Orthodox ecclesiastical jurisdiction and authority and which shall recognize and remain subject to the duly appointed and canonical Orthodox hierarch, archbishop, bishop or administrator appropriate for the Orthodox communicant members comprising the same.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 1 - Corporate Bodies, Church Officers As

Section 1. The deacons, wardens or similar officers of churches or religious societies, and the trustees of the United Methodist churches, appointed according to the discipline and usages thereof, shall, if residents of the commonwealth, be deemed bodies corporate for the purpose of taking and holding in succession all gifts, grants, bequests and devises of real or personal property, made either to them and their successors, or to their respective churches, if unincorporated, or to the poor of their churches.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 2 - Corporate Bodies; Status of Ministers and Lay Officials

Section 2. When the ministers, elders or vestry of a church are joined in the gifts, grants, bequests or devises mentioned in the preceding section, as donees or grantees with the deacons, wardens or trustees, such officers and their successors, with the deacons, wardens or trustees, shall be deemed the corporation for the purposes mentioned in said section.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 3 - Management of Trusts; Appointment of Trustees; Rules and Regulations

Section 3. Incorporated and unincorporated religious societies and churches may appoint trustees, not exceeding five, to hold and manage trust funds for their benefit, who shall hold their offices for three years and until others are appointed in their stead. At or before the time of the first appointment of such trustees, the society may establish regulations for their government, which shall not be subject to alteration or amendment except by consent of all the trustees then in office and by a two thirds vote of the church or society interested therein. Any funds held by the bodies corporate mentioned in the two preceding sections may be transferred to said trustees to be held in trust in like manner by them.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 4 - Corporate Bodies, Trustees As

Section 4. Churches or religious societies may appoint trustees, not exceeding five, who shall with their successors be a body corporate, for the purposes mentioned in section one, and shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter applicable thereto.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 5 - Succession of Parsonage Land

Section 5. The minister of a church or religious society, if a citizen of the commonwealth, shall be capable of taking in succession any parsonage land granted to the minister and his successors, or to the use of the ministers, or granted by words of like import, and may prosecute or defend any action relative to such land.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 6 - Regulation of Conveyances of Church Land

Section 6. No conveyance of the land of a church shall be effectual to pass the same, if made by the deacons without the consent of the church or of a committee of the church appointed for that purpose, or if made by the wardens without the consent of the vestry, or if made by the trustees of the United Methodist Church without the consent of the charge conference.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 7 - Conveyance of Land by Minister

Section 7. No conveyance by a minister of land held by him in succession shall be valid longer than he continues to be such minister, unless made with the consent of the religious society of which he is minister, or unless he is the minister of an Episcopal church and makes the conveyance with the consent of the vestry.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 8 - Committees to Settle Accounts of Officers

Section 8. The several churches, other than those of the Episcopal denomination, may choose committees to settle the accounts of the deacons and other church officers, and, if necessary, to prosecute suits in the name of the church against them relative to the same.
MA Gen L ch 68 § 10 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters|Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses|Section 10 - Overseers or Trustees of Monthly Meeting of Quakers as Corporation

Section 10. The overseers or trustees of each monthly meeting of the people called Friends, or Quakers, shall be a body corporate for the purpose of taking and holding in succession gifts and grants of real or personal property made to the use of such meeting or to the use of any preparative meeting belonging thereto; and they may manage or convey such property according to the terms and conditions of such gifts and grants, and may prosecute or defend any action relative to the same; but the income thereof to any one of such meetings for the uses aforesaid shall not exceed five thousand dollars a year. Such corporation may hold funds in trust and apply the income thereof to the improvement or embellishment of any cemetery owned or controlled by it or to the care, preservation or embellishment of any lot or its appurtenances.