reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 2 - General Provisions › 24 - Government of Churches Incorporated Prior to January First, Eighteen Hundred and Twenty-Eight.

§  24.  Government  of  churches  incorporated prior to January first,
  eighteen hundred and twenty-eight. Any provision of this  chapter  shall
  not  be  deemed to apply to any church incorporated under any general or
  special law, prior to January first, eighteen hundred and  twenty-eight,
  if  such  provision  is inconsistent with or in derogation of any of the
  rights and privileges of such corporation as they existed under the  law
  by  or  pursuant  to  which  such  corporation  was  formed, unless such
  corporation subsequent to such date, shall have lawfully  reincorporated
  under a law enacted since the first day of January, eighteen hundred and
  twenty-eight,  or  unless  the  trustees  of  such corporation shall, by
  resolution, determine that the provisions of this  chapter  applying  to
  churches  of  the  same  denomination  and to the trustees thereof shall
  apply to such church, and unless such resolution shall be  submitted  to
  the  next  ensuing  annual  meeting  of  such  church, and ratified by a
  majority of the  votes  of  the  qualified  voters  present  and  voting
  thereon.  Notice  of the adoption of such resolution and of the proposed
  submission thereof for ratification, shall be given with the  notice  of
  such  annual  meeting, and in addition thereto, mailed to each member of
  such church corporation at his last known post-office address, at  least
  two  weeks  prior  to such annual meeting, and published once a week for
  two successive weeks immediately preceding such meeting in a  newspaper,
  if  any,  published  in the city, village or town in which the principal
  place of worship of such corporation is  located,  and  otherwise  in  a
  newspaper  published  in  an  adjoining  town.  If such resolution is so
  ratified, the trustees of such church shall cause a certificate  setting
  forth  a  copy of such resolution, its adoption by the board of trustees
  and its due ratification by the members of such corporation, to be filed
  in the office of the clerk of the county in which the principal place of
  worship of such corporation is located. Such county  clerk  shall  cause
  such  certificate  to  be  recorded in the book in which certificates of
  incorporation of religious corporations are  recorded  in  pursuance  of
  law.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 2 - General Provisions › 25 - Pastoral Relation.

§  25.  Pastoral relation. No provision of this chapter authorizes the
  calling, settlement, dismissal or removal of a minister, or  the  fixing
  or changing of his salary, and a meeting of a church corporation for any
  such  purpose  shall be called, held, moderated, conducted, governed and
  notice of such meeting given and person to preside  thereat  ascertained
  and  the  qualification of voters thereat determined, not as required by
  any provision of this chapter but only according to the  aforesaid  laws
  and regulations, practice, discipline, rules and usages of the religious
  denomination  or  ecclesiastical  governing body, if any, with which the
  church corporation is connected.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 2 - General Provisions › 26 - Worship.

§  26.  Worship. No provision of this chapter authorizes the fixing or
  changing of the times, nature or order of  public  or  social  or  other
  worship  of  any  church,  in any other manner or by any other authority
  than  in  the  manner  and  by  the  authority  provided  in  the  laws,
  regulations,  practice,  discipline,  rules  and usages of the religious
  denomination or ecclesiastical governing body, if any,  with  which  the
  church corporation is connected.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 2 - General Provisions › 27 - Reservation as to Baptist Churches, Churches of the United Church of Christ and Congregational Christian Churches.

§  27.  Reservation  as  to  Baptist  churches, churches of the United
  Church  of  Christ  and  Congregational  Christian  churches.   Sections
  twenty-five  and  twenty-six  are  not applicable to a Baptist church, a
  church of the United Church of Christ, a Congregational Christian church
  or to any other religious corporation having a  congregational  form  of
  government.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 2 - General Provisions › 28 - Electronic Meetings.

§  28.  Electronic  meetings.  Notwithstanding  any  provision of law,
  certificate of incorporation or by-laws to the contrary, if the board of
  trustees of a religious corporation is authorized to determine the place
  of  trustee  meetings,  corporate  meetings,  congregant  or  membership
  meetings,  the  board of trustees may, in its sole discretion, determine
  that the  meeting  shall  be  held  partially  or  solely  by  means  of
  electronic  communication.  In  the  case  of  a  meeting held solely by
  electronic communication, the electronic service and/or platform through
  which the meeting is held shall be the place of the meeting for purposes
  of this chapter. Meetings conducted partially  or  solely  by  means  of
  electronic   communications  in  reliance  upon  this  section  and  any
  individual's electronic participation in such meetings shall be  subject
  to those guidelines and procedures as the board of trustees adopts.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3 - Protestant Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 40 - Meeting for Incorporation.

§  40.  Meeting for incorporation. Notice of a meeting for the purpose
  of  incorporating  an  unincorporated  Protestant  Episcopal  parish  or
  congregation,  and  of  electing  the  first churchwardens and vestrymen
  thereof, shall specify the object, time and place of such  meeting,  and
  shall  be  made  public  for  at  least two weeks prior to such meeting,
  either by open reading of such notice in time of divine service, at  the
  usual place of worship of such parish or congregation, or by posting the
  same  conspiciously  on  the  outer  door of such place of worship. Only
  persons of full age who have been regular attendants at the  worship  of
  such  parish or congregation and contributors to the support thereof for
  one year next prior to such meeting, or since the establishment of  such
  parish  or congregation, shall be qualified to vote at such meeting. The
  presence of at least six persons qualified  to  vote  thereat  shall  be
  necessary  to  constitute  a  quorum  of such meeting. The action of the
  meeting upon any matter or question shall be decided by  a  majority  of
  the  qualified  voters  voting  thereon,  a  quorum  being  present. The
  officiating minister, or if there be none, or he  shall  be  necessarily
  absent, any other person qualified to vote at the meeting, who is called
  to  the  chair,  shall  preside  thereat.  Such  presiding officer shall
  receive the votes, be the judge of the  qualifications  of  voters,  and
  declare  the  result of the votes cast at such meeting. The polls of the
  meeting shall remain open for one hour or longer, in the  discretion  of
  the  presiding  officer, or if required by a vote of the majority of the
  voters present. The meeting shall  decide  whether  such  unincorporated
  parish or congregation shall become incorporated. If such decision be in
  favor  of  incorporation, such meeting shall decide upon the name of the
  proposed corporation; what day, either a Sunday or a secular day,  shall
  be  the  date  of  the  regular  annual  election; whether the vestrymen
  thereof shall be three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twenty-one
  or twenty-four; and shall elect by ballot from the persons qualified  to
  be  voters  thereat,  who have been baptized, one-third of the number of
  vestrymen so decided upon to hold office until the first annual election
  to be held thereafter, one-third of such number, to  hold  office  until
  one  year  after  such  annual election, and one-third of such number to
  hold office until two years after such annual election; and shall  elect
  from  such  qualified  voters  who  are  communicants  in the Protestant
  Episcopal church, two persons to be churchwardens thereof, one  to  hold
  office until such annual election, and one to hold office until one year
  after such annual election.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3 - Protestant Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 41 - Certificate of Incorporation.

§  41.  Certificate  of incorporation. If such meeting shall decide in
  favor of incorporation and comply with the next preceding  section,  the
  presiding officer of such meeting and at least two other persons present
  and  voting  thereat,  shall  execute  and  acknowledge a certificate of
  incorporation setting forth:
1. The fact of the calling and holding of such meeting;
2. The name of the corporation as decided upon thereat;
3. The county, and the town, city or village, in which  its  principal
  place of worship is, or is intended to be located;
4.  The  day, either on Sunday or a secular day, upon which the annual
  election shall be held;
5. The number of vestrymen decided upon at such meeting;
6. The names of the vestrymen elected at such meeting and the term  of
  office of each;
7. The names of the churchwardens elected at such meeting and the term
  of office of each.
Such  certificate,  when accompanied by a certificate of the bishop of
  the diocese within which the principal place of worship of the  proposed
  corporation  is,  or  is  intended  to be located, to the effect that he
  consents to the incorporation of such church,  shall  be  filed  in  the
  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  county  specified in the certificate of
  incorporation; but in case the see be vacant, or the bishop be absent or
  unable to act,  the  consent  of  the  standing  committee,  with  their
  certificate of the vacancy of the see or of the absence or disability of
  the bishop, shall suffice.
On filing such certificate in the office of the clerk of the county so
  specified  therein  the churchwardens and vestrymen so elected and their
  successors in office, together with the rector, when there is one, shall
  form a vestry and shall be the trustees of such church or  congregation;
  and  they  and  their  successors  shall  thereupon,  by  virtue of this
  chapter, be a body corporate by the name  or  title  expressed  in  such
  certificate,  and  shall  have power, from time to time to adopt by-laws
  for its government. Such corporation shall be  an  incorporated  church,
  and may be termed also an incorporated parish.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3 - Protestant Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 42-A - Additional Powers of the Corporate Trustees and Vestry.

§  42-a.  Additional  powers  of  the  corporate  trustees and vestry.
  Notwithstanding and in addition to the provisions  of  section  five  of
  this  chapter,  and  subject  always  to the trust in which all real and
  personal property is held for the Protestant Episcopal  Church  and  the
  Diocese thereof in which the parish, mission or congregation is located,
  the  vestry  or trustees of any incorporated Protestant Episcopal parish
  or church, the trustees of every  incorporated  governing  body  of  the
  Protestant   Episcopal   Church  and  each  diocese  are  authorized  to
  administer the temporalities and property, real and personal,  belonging
  to  the  corporation, for the support and maintenance of the corporation
  and, provided it is in accordance with the discipline, rules and  usages
  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  and  with  the provisions of law
  relating thereto, for the support and maintenance  of  other  religious,
  charitable,  benevolent  or educational objects whether or not conducted
  by the corporation or in connection  with  it  or  with  the  Protestant
  Episcopal Church.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3 - Protestant Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 44 - Changing the Number of Vestrymen of Protestant Episcopal Parishes Hereafter Incorporated.

§  44.  Changing  the  number  of  vestrymen  of  Protestant Episcopal
  parishes hereafter incorporated. If the vestry of a Protestant Episcopal
  parish, hereafter incorporated, shall, by resolution, recommend that the
  number of vestrymen of such parish be  changed  to  either  three,  six,
  nine,  twelve,  fifteen,  eighteen, twenty-one or twenty-four vestrymen,
  notice of such recommendation shall be included in  the  notice  of  the
  next  annual  election  of  such  parish,  or in the notice of a special
  meeting to be held not less than six months before the  time  fixed  for
  holding  the  next  annual election thereafter, and be submitted to such
  annual or special meeting. If such recommendation be  ratified  by  such
  meeting,  the  presiding  officer  thereof,  and  at least two qualified
  voters present thereat, shall  execute  and  acknowledge  a  certificate
  setting  forth  such  resolution  of  the  vestry,  the fact that notice
  thereof had been given with the notice of such annual election, or  with
  the  notice of such special meeting as the case may be; that the meeting
  had ratified the same; and the number of vestrymen so decided  on.  Such
  certificate  shall  be filed in the office of the clerk of the county in
  which the original certificate of incorporation is filed  and  recorded,
  and such change in the number of vestrymen shall take effect at the time
  of  the  next  annual election thereafter. If the number of vestrymen be
  thereby increased, then, in addition to the number of  vestrymen  to  be
  elected  at  such annual election, one-third of such increased number of
  vestrymen shall be elected to  hold  office  for  one  year  thereafter,
  one-third  of  such increased number shall be elected to hold office for
  two years thereafter, and one-third of such increased  number  shall  be
  elected  to  hold  office  for  three years thereafter. If the number of
  vestrymen by such change be reduced, such reduction shall not affect the
  term of office of any vestryman duly elected, and at  such  next  annual
  election  and  at  each  annual  election  thereafter, one-third of such
  reduced number of vestrymen shall be elected to hold  office  for  three
  years.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3 - Protestant Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 46 - Changing the Qualifications of Voters and the Qualifications of Wardens and Vestrymen.

§  46. Changing the qualifications of voters and the qualifications of
  wardens and vestrymen. If the vestry of a  Protestant  Episcopal  parish
  heretofore   incorporated   shall   by  resolution  recommend  that  the
  qualifications of voters and the qualifications of wardens and vestrymen
  be changed to conform in both  cases  to  the  requirements  of  section
  forty-three  of  this  chapter,  notice  of such recommendation shall be
  included in the notice of the next annual election of such  parish,  and
  be submitted to the meeting.  If such recommendation be ratified by such
  meeting  the presiding officer thereof and at least two qualified voters
  present thereat shall execute  and  acknowledge  a  certificate  setting
  forth  such  resolution  of the vestry, the fact that notice thereof had
  been given with the notice of such annual election, and that the meeting
  had ratified the same. Such certificate shall be filed in the office  of
  the   clerk   of  the  county  in  which  the  original  certificate  of
  incorporation is filed and recorded.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3 - Protestant Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 48 - Legacies.

§  48. Legacies. Any devise or bequest of real or personal property to
  an unincorporated parish, mission,  congregation,  chapel  or  religious
  society  under  the  jurisdiction of or in communion with the Protestant
  Episcopal Church, for the purposes of such gift, may be taken, held  and
  administered  for the benefit of such devisee or legatee by the diocesan
  corporation of the diocese in which such devisee or legatee is  situate,
  and  such  diocesan  corporation  shall  have  the power, subject to the
  provisions of article five of the not-for-profit corporation law and  of
  section  twelve  of  this  chapter,  to  lease, improve, mortgage, sell,
  convey and transfer any property so held.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3 - Protestant Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 49 - Eligibility of Certain Minors as Lay Delegates and to Vote and Hold Office.

§  49.  Eligibility of certain minors as lay delegates and to vote and
  hold office. Whenever the constitution or canons of  a  diocese  of  the
  Protestant Episcopal church in the state of New York so permits, persons
  of  less than full age but of the age of eighteen years or more shall be
  eligible to serve as lay delegates to and to vote at any  convention  of
  the diocese, when duly chosen by the parish or mission and shall also be
  eligible  for  election  to  or  appointment  to  any  lay office of the
  diocese.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 50 - Application for Incorporation.

§  50.  Application  for  incorporation.  An  unincorporated Apostolic
  Episcopal Church, or a congregation acknowledging the historic apostolic
  eastern confession and order in this state, may apply to the bishop  who
  is  the  ecclesiastical  administrator  of  Metropolitan Synod Apostolic
  Episcopal Church for permission and sanction to incorporate such church.
  When such permission aforesaid has been obtained  in  writing  over  the
  signature   and   seal  of  such  bishop,  such  church  may  become  an
  incorporated church by executing, acknowledging and filing a certificate
  of incorporation as hereinafter provided.
Any  religious  order,  biblical  seminary  for  the  preparation   of
  candidates  for  the ministry, leading to ordination and the granting of
  credentials of ecclesiastical degrees of orders in sacred  theology,  or
  religious  society  established for evangelical efforts or the relief of
  the poor and needy, which is intended to be an auxiliary organization of
  the Apostolic Episcopal Church,  where  a  chapel  for  the  conduct  of
  worship  is  provided, shall be deemed a congregation to all intents and
  purposes, and may be incorporated  in  the  manner  prescribed  in  this
  article as a congregation of the Apostolic Episcopal Church.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 51 - Notice of Meeting for Incorporation.

§ 51. Notice of meeting for incorporation. Notice of a meeting for the
  purpose  of  incorporating an unincorporated Apostolic Episcopal Church,
  or congregation  acknowledging  the  apostolic  eastern  confession  and
  order, shall be given as follows:
1.  The notice shall be in writing and shall state in substance that a
  meeting of such unincorporated church or congregation will  be  held  at
  its  usual  place of worship at a specific day and hour, for the purpose
  of incorporating such church or congregation, electing  laymen  trustees
  thereof and selecting a corporate name therefor.
2.   The   notice  shall  also  state  that  the  bishop  who  is  the
  ecclesiastical administrator aforesaid has given sanction and permission
  in writing to proceed with the incorporation of such church.
3. The notice must be signed by at least six persons of full age,  who
  are  baptised, have statedly worshipped with such church or congregation
  and have regularly contributed to its support, according to its  usages,
  for at least one year or since it was formed.
4.  A  copy of such notice shall be publicly read at a regular meeting
  of such unincorporated church for public worship, on the two  successive
  Sundays  immediately preceding the meeting, by the minister in charge of
  such church, or by any one of the persons qualified to sign such notice.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 53 - Resolution to Be Adopted at Incorporation Meeting.

§  53.  Resolution  to  be  adopted  at incorporation meeting. At such
  meeting  held  for  the  incorporation  of  such   parish,   church   or
  congregation  as  an  Apostolic  Episcopal Church, by whatever corporate
  name said church shall take, the following resolution shall be passed by
  a majority of the qualified voters of such meeting, to wit:
"Resolved, that whereas, it has been decided by  a  majority  vote  to
  incorporate  said church under the name of (here give the corporate name
  by which such church is to be known) as a congregation of the  Apostolic
  Episcopal  Church  and  under the spiritual jurisdiction of metropolitan
  synod of such denomination; we likewise, by a majority vote of the  duly
  qualified  voters  at  this  meeting, held for the incorporation of said
  church, now decide that the clergymen trustees of this said church shall
  be the bishop who is the ecclesiastical administrator, the vicar-general
  and the chancellor of the aforesaid metropolitan synod and the rector or
  vicar of this church, and their successors in office, shall by virtue of
  their offices, be the clergymen trustees of this church, which said four
  officers together with the ............ laymen trustees elected at  this
  incorporation  meeting,  shall  constitute  the  trustees  thereof. Said
  clergymen trustees' term of office shall continue until their successors
  in said office are elected by the Metropolitan Synod Apostolic Episcopal
  Church, and said laymen trustees term of office shall be that  fixed  by
  statute."
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 54 - Certificate of Incorporation.

§  54.  Certificate  of  incorporation. 1. If the meeting shall decide
that such unincorporated church shall become an incorporated  church  or
congregation  of  the  Apostolic  Episcopal  Church,  a  certificate  of
incorporation therefor shall be executed and acknowledged by the  bishop
who  is  the  ecclesiastical  administrator,  the  vicar-general and the
chancellor of Metropolitan Synod Apostolic Episcopal Church, the  rector
or  vicar  of the church or congregation and by the laymen trustees that
have been elected, and by the clerk of the  corporation,  and  the  said
certificate of incorporation shall contain the following:
(a) The name of the proposed corporation;
(b)  The  number  of laymen trustees thereof, the names of the persons
elected as laymen trustees, the terms of  office  for  which  they  were
respectively elected as laymen trustees;
(c)  An  exact  copy of the resolution which provides for the clerical
trustees by virtue of their offices;
(d) The county and town, city or village in which the principal  place
of worship is or is intended to be located.
2. On filing such certificate in the office of the county clerk of the
county in which such church is or is intended to be located, such church
shall  be  a  corporation by the name stated in the certificate, and the
persons therein stated to be elected clerical  and  laymen  trustees  of
such  church  shall  be the trustees therefor for their respective terms
and until their successors are elected.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 56 - Changing Date of Annual Corporate Meetings.

§  56. Changing date of annual corporate meetings. An annual corporate
  meeting of an incorporated church to which this  article  is  applicable
  may,  by  a  majority vote of the duly qualified voters at such meeting,
  change the date of its annual meeting thereafter. If  such  date  as  so
  changed  shall  next  thereafter  occur  less  than six months after the
  annual meeting at which such change is  made  the  next  annual  meeting
  shall be held one year from such next recurring date. For the purpose of
  determining the terms of office of trustees, the period of time elapsing
  between  the date of the annual meeting at which such change is made and
  the next annual meeting thereafter shall be reckoned as one year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 57 - Changing Number of Laymen Trustees.

§  57.  Changing  number of laymen trustees. An incorporated church to
  which this article is applicable may, by a majority  vote  of  the  duly
  qualified  voters  at  an annual corporate meeting, change the number of
  its laymen trustees to three, six or nine, and classify them so that the
  terms of one-third of such number so changed expire each year.  No  such
  change shall affect the terms of the laymen trustees then in office, and
  if  the  change reduces the number of laymen trustees, it shall not take
  effect until the  number  of  laymen  trustees  whose  terms  of  office
  continue  for one or more years after an annual election of trustees, is
  less than the number determined upon.  Whenever  the  number  of  laymen
  trustees  so  holding  over  is  less  than  the  number  so determined,
  sufficient laymen trustees shall be elected, in  addition  to  those  so
  holding over, to make the number of laymen trustees for the ensuing year
  equal  to the number so determined. The laymen trustees so elected up to
  and including one-third of the number so determined  shall  hold  office
  for  a  term of three years, the remainder up to and including one-third
  of the number so determined, for two years and the  remainder,  for  one
  year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 58 - Meetings of Trustees.

§  58.  Meetings  of  trustees.  Meetings  of  the  trustees  of  such
  incorporated church shall be called  by  giving  at  least  three  days'
  notice  thereof  in  writing,  served  personally  or by mail to all the
  trustees, unless, by a regularly adopted  standing  resolution  a  fixed
  date  for  such  meeting  is the approved order, in which case a written
  notice may be dispensed with. To duly constitute such regular or special
  meeting of the trustees for the transaction of business, at any  meeting
  lawfully  convened,  there  shall  be  present  a majority of the laymen
  trustees,  the  rector  or  vicar  of  the  church,  the  clerk  of  the
  corporation   and   either   the   bishop   who  is  the  ecclesiastical
  administrator, the vicar-general or the chancellor of  the  Metropolitan
  Synod  Apostolic  Episcopal  Church.  But if the church has no rector or
  vicar, at least one of the trustees who is a warden must be present.  If
  either  the  bishop,  vicar-general or the chancellor cannot be present,
  the bishop who is the ecclesiastical administrator may send his proxy to
  one of the laymen trustees. No  act  or  procedure  other  than  regular
  routine  matters in regard to the administration of the temporal affairs
  of the church and for the care of the property of  the  corporation,  as
  included in the budget items, shall be valid without the sanction of the
  bishop and ecclesiastical administrator of the synod or diocese to which
  the  church  belongs; nor shall the trustees, without the consent of the
  corporate meeting incur debts for items  not  provided  in  the  adopted
  budget.  Trustees  of  such  incorporated  church shall have no power to
  call, settle or remove a minister or to  fix  his  salary;  or  to  fix,
  change  the time, nature or order of the public or social worship, rites
  and  religious  observances  of  such  church  which  are  or  shall  be
  established by the governing ecclesiastical body.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 58-A - Vacancies Among Trustees.

§  58-a.  Vacancies  among  trustees.  If  any  trustee  of  any  such
  incorporated church declines to act, resigns or dies, or ceases to be  a
  qualified  voter  at  a  corporate  meeting thereof, his office shall be
  vacant; and such vacancy may be filled by the remaining  trustees  until
  the  next  annual corporate meeting of such church; at which meeting the
  vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 59 - Rector; Vicar; Ministers; Their Appointment, Removal and Compensation.

§  59.  Rector;  vicar;  ministers;  their  appointment,  removal  and
  compensation. The rector or vicar or other ministers of any such church,
  by whatever title they are called in ecclesiastical language,  shall  be
  called, settled or removed and their salaries fixed, only by the vote of
  a  majority of the members of such corporation duly qualified to vote at
  elections  present  and  voting  at  a  meeting  of   such   corporation
  specifically  called  for  that  purpose,  subject to the consent of the
  bishop who is the ecclesiastical  administrator  of  Metropolitan  Synod
  Apostolic Episcopal Church, given in writing. A rector or vicar or other
  minister so called, with the sanction of the bishop in writing, shall be
  deemed settled definitely in such church, when he has accepted such call
  in   writing.   Unless  there  is  sufficient  cause  to  terminate  the
  relationship of such clergyman and such church such  relationship  shall
  be deemed permanent and governed entirely by the rules and usages of the
  Apostolic  Episcopal  Church,  subject  to  the  bishop and metropolitan
  synod.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 59-A - Additional Qualifications of Voters at Annual and Special Corporate Meetings.

§  59-a.  Additional  qualifications  of  voters at annual and special
  corporate meetings. Duly qualified  voters  at  any  annual  or  special
  corporate  meeting  of  any  such  incorporated church shall be baptised
  persons, who have been admitted to the full communion relations of  such
  church  according  to  its  usages,  and  who are qualified in the other
  respects prescribed by this article.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-A - Apostolic Episcopal Parishes or Churches › 59-B - Transfer of Property of Extinct Parishes and Churches.

§  59-b.  Transfer  of  property of extinct parishes and churches. The
  Metropolitan Synod Apostolic Episcopal Church may decide that  a  parish
  or  church  in  connection  with  it or over which it has ecclesiastical
  jurisdiction, and to  which  this  article  is  applicable,  has  become
  extinct,  if it has failed for two consecutive years next prior thereto,
  to maintain religious services according to the discipline, customs  and
  usages  of  such  synod,  or  has  had  less than ten resident attending
  members making annual or regular contributions towards its support,  and
  may  take possession of the temporalities and property belonging to such
  church or parish and manage the  same;  or  may,  in  pursuance  of  the
  provisions of this chapter relating to the disposition of real property,
  sell or dispose of the same and apply the proceeds thereof to any of the
  purposes  to  which  the property of such synod is devoted, and it shall
  not divert such property  to  any  other  object.  For  the  purpose  of
  obtaining  a  record  title to the land and the church edifice, or other
  buildings thereon, by such synod, the surviving trustee or  trustees  of
  said  extinct  church  or  if  there  be  no  surviving  trustee, then a
  surviving member of said extinct church, may,  without  a  consideration
  being  paid  therefor  by  such synod, convey to it said land and church
  edifice, or other buildings thereon, subject, however, to  an  order  of
  the  supreme  or  county  court based upon a petition reciting that said
  church has  become  extinct;  the  name  of  its  surviving  trustee  or
  trustees;  and  the  names  of  its  members  (who must have given their
  consent to the making of said conveyance).  Upon  the  recital  of  said
  facts  in  said  petition, the court shall have jurisdiction to grant an
  order allowing said conveyance to be made without a  consideration;  and
  should there be no surviving members, as well as no surviving trustee of
  said  extinct  church,  said  petition may be made by an officer of said
  synod, in which event the court, upon the recital of  said  fact,  shall
  have  jurisdiction  to  appoint  a  suitable  person  as trustee for the
  purpose of making said conveyance.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-AA - Application for Incorporation.

§ 50-aa. Application for incorporation. An unincorporated congregation
  of  the Holy Orthodox Church in America, or a congregation acknowledging
  the historic apostolic eastern confession and order in this  state,  may
  apply  to  the  archbishop  who  is the ecclestiastical administrator of
  Metropolitan Synod, Holy Orthodox Church in America for  permission  and
  sanction  to incorporate such church. When such permission aforesaid has
  been obtained in writing over the signature and seal of such archbishop,
  such  church  may  become   an   incorporated   church   by   executing,
  acknowledging  and  filing a certificate of incorporation as hereinafter
  provided.
Any  religious  order,  biblical  seminary  for  the  preparation   of
  candidates  for  the ministry, leading to ordination and the granting of
  credentials of ecclesiastical degrees of orders in sacred  theology,  or
  religious  society  established for evangelical efforts or the relief of
  the poor and needy, which is intended to be an auxiliary organization of
  the Holy Orthodox Church in America, where a chapel for the  conduct  of
  worship  is  provided, shall be deemed a congregation to all intents and
  purposes, and may be incorporated  in  the  manner  prescribed  in  this
  article as a congregation of the Holy Orthodox Church in America.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-BB - Notice of Meeting for Incorporation.

§  50-bb. Notice of meeting for incorporation. Notice of a meeting for
  the purpose of incorporating an unincorporated Holy Orthodox  Church  in
  America,  parish  or  congregation  acknowledging  the apostolic eastern
  confession and order, shall be given as follows:
1. The notice shall be in writing and shall state in substance that  a
  meeting  of  such  unincorporated church or congregation will be held at
  its usual place of worship at a specific day and hour, for  the  purpose
  of  incorporating  such church or congregation, electing laymen trustees
  thereof and selecting a corporate name therefor.
2. The notice  shall  also  state  that  the  archbishop  who  is  the
  ecclesiastical administrator aforesaid has given sanction and permission
  in writing to proceed with the incorporation of such church.
3.  The notice must be signed by at least six persons of full age, who
  are baptised, have statedly worshipped with such church or  congregation
  and  have regularly contributed to its support, according to its usages,
  for at least one year or since it was formed.
4. A copy of such notice shall be publicly read at a  regular  meeting
  of  such unincorporated church for public worship, on the two successive
  Sundays immediately preceding the meeting, by the minister in charge  of
  such church, or by any one of the persons qualified to sign such notice.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-DD - Resolution to Be Adopted at Incorporation Meeting.

§  50-dd.  Resolution  to be adopted at incorporation meeting. At such
  meeting  held  for  the  incorporation  of  such   parish,   church   or
  congregation  as  of  the  Holy  Orthodox Church in America, by whatever
  corporate name said church shall take, the following resolution shall be
  passed by a majority of the qualified voters of such meeting, to wit:
"Resolved, that whereas, it has been decided by  a  majority  vote  to
  incorporate  said church under the name of (here give the corporate name
  by which such church is to be known)  as  a  congregation  of  the  Holy
  Orthodox  Church  in  America  and  under  the spiritual jurisdiction of
  Metropolitan Synod of such denomination; we likewise, by a majority vote
  of the duly qualified voters at this meeting, held for the incorporation
  of said church, now decide that the  clergymen  trustees  of  this  said
  church  shall be the archbishop who is the ecclesiastical administrator,
  the vicar-general and the chancellor of the aforesaid metropolitan synod
  and the rector or vicar of this church, and their successors in  office,
  shall  by  virtue  of  their  offices, be the clergymen trustees of this
  church, which said four  officers  together  with  the  ................
  laymen  trustees elected at this incorporation meeting, shall constitute
  the trustees thereof. Said clergymen  trustees'  term  of  office  shall
  continue  until  their  successors  in  said  office  are elected by the
  Metropolitan Synod Holy Orthodox Church  in  America,  and  said  laymen
  trustees term of office shall be that fixed by statute. "
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-EE - Certificate of Incorporation.

§  50-ee. Certificate of incorporation. 1. If the meeting shall decide
that such unincorporated church shall become an incorporated  church  or
congregation  of  the  Holy Orthodox Church in America, a certificate of
incorporation  therefor  shall  be  executed  and  acknowledged  by  the
archbishop  who  is  the ecclesiastical administrator, the vicar-general
and the  chancellor  of  Metropolitan  Synod  Holy  Orthodox  Church  in
America,  the  rector  or vicar of the church or congregation and by the
laymen trustees that  have  been  elected,  and  by  the  clerk  of  the
corporation, and the said certificate of incorporation shall contain the
following:
(a) The name of the proposed corporation;
(b)  The  number  of laymen trustees thereof, the names of the persons
elected as laymen trustees, the terms of  office  for  which  they  were
respectively elected as laymen trustees;
(c)  An  exact  copy of the resolution which provides for the clerical
trustees by virtue of their offices;
(d) The county and town, city or village in which the principal  place
of worship is or is intended to be located.
2. On filing such certificate in the office of the county clerk of the
county in which such church is or is intended to be located, such church
shall  be  a  corporation by the name stated in the certificate, and the
persons therein stated to be elected clerical  and  laymen  trustees  of
such  church  shall  be the trustees therefor for their respective terms
and until their successors are elected.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-FF - Annual and Special Corporate Meetings.

§  50-ff.  Annual  and  special  corporate  meetings.  1.  The  annual
  corporate meeting of every church  or  congregation  incorporated  under
  this  article  shall be held at the time and place fixed by its by-laws,
  or if no time and place is so fixed, then at a  time  and  place  to  be
  fixed  by its trustees, but to be changed only by a by-law adopted at an
  annual meeting; or if not otherwise fixed, such annual corporate meeting
  shall be  held  on  the  date  said  certificate  of  incorporation  was
  executed,  unless  the same fall due on a Sunday or legal holiday in any
  year, in which case said annual corporate meeting shall be held the  day
  following.
2. A special corporate meeting of any such church may be called by the
  trustees  thereof,  on  their  own  motion,  and  shall be called on the
  written request of at least ten qualified voters of such church.
3. The trustees shall cause notice of the time and place of its annual
  corporate meeting, and the names of any trustees whose successors are to
  be elected thereat, and if a special meeting,  of  the  business  to  be
  transacted  thereat,  to be publicly read by the minister of such church
  or any of the trustees thereof at a regular meeting of  the  church  for
  public worship, on the two successive Sundays immediately preceding such
  meeting.
4.  The annual corporate meeting shall be governed with respect to its
  organization and election of laymen trustees, clerk of  the  corporation
  and  qualifications of voters (except with respect to age qualifications
  of voters as provided in section four-a) by the same provisions  as  set
  forth in this article for the incorporation of said church, except, that
  the duly ordained and regularly appointed rector or vicar shall preside,
  or  if  there  be  a  vacancy  in  such office, one of the wardens shall
  preside, the  congregation  in  such  case  voting  by  ballot  for  its
  presiding officer.
5. The same provisions shall apply to a special corporate meeting.
6.  At  the  annual  corporate  meeting the trustees shall cause to be
  prepared and read thereat a budget  giving  the  approximate  amount  of
  money  needed  for the maintenance of worship, the administration of the
  temporal affairs of the church and for the care  of  the  property,  and
  such  other  regular  and  special  items  as  shall  be  brought to the
  attention of the meeting, which budget shall be  discussed  and  decided
  upon,  ratified  or  amended  by the said meeting by majority vote, with
  ample provision made to raise such funds by whatever usages  the  church
  shall elect.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-GG - Changing Date of Annual Corporate Meetings.

§  50-gg.  Changing  date  of  annual  corporate  meetings.  An annual
  corporate meeting of an incorporated church to  which  this  article  is
  applicable  may, by a majority vote of the duly qualified voters at such
  meeting, change the date of its annual meeting thereafter. If such  date
  as so changed shall next thereafter occur less than six months after the
  annual  meeting  at  which  such  change is made the next annual meeting
  shall be held one year from such next recurring date. For the purpose of
  determining the terms of office of trustees, the period of time elapsing
  between the date of the annual meeting at which such change is made  and
  the next annual meeting thereafter shall be reckoned as one year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-HH - Changing Number of Laymen Trustees.

§ 50-hh. Changing number of laymen trustees. An incorporated church to
  which  this  article  is  applicable may, by a majority vote of the duly
  qualified voters at an annual corporate meeting, change  the  number  of
  its laymen trustees to three, six or nine, and classify them so that the
  terms  of  one-third of such number so changed expire each year. No such
  change shall affect the terms of the laymen trustees then in office, and
  if the change reduces the number of laymen trustees, it shall  not  take
  effect  until  the  number  of  laymen  trustees  whose  terms of office
  continue for one or more years after an annual election of trustees,  is
  less  than  the  number  determined  upon. Whenever the number of laymen
  trustees so  holding  over  is  less  than  the  number  so  determined,
  sufficient  laymen  trustees  shall  be elected, in addition to those so
  holding over, to make the number of laymen trustees for the ensuing year
  equal to the number so determined. The laymen trustees so elected up  to
  and  including  one-third  of the number so determined shall hold office
  for a term of three years, the remainder up to and  including  one-third
  of  the  number  so determined, for two years and the remainder, for one
  year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-II - Meetings of Trustees.

§  50-ii.  Meetings  of  trustees.  Meetings  of  the trustees of such
  incorporated church shall be called  by  giving  at  least  three  days'
  notice  thereof  in  writing, served personally or by mail to all of the
  trustees, unless, by a regularly adopted  standing  resolution  a  fixed
  date  for  such  meeting  is the approved order, in which case a written
  notice may be dispensed with. To duly constitute such regular or special
  meeting of the trustees for the transaction of business, at any  meeting
  lawfully  convened,  there  shall  be  present  a majority of the laymen
  trustees,  the  rector  or  vicar  of  the  church,  the  clerk  of  the
  corporation   and  either  the  archbishop  who  is  the  ecclesiastical
  administrator, the vicar-general or the chancellor of  the  Metropolitan
  Synod  Holy  Orthodox Church of America. But if the church has no rector
  or vicar, at least one of the trustees who is a warden must be  present.
  If  either  the  archbishop,  vicar-general  or the chancellor cannot be
  present, the archbishop who is the ecclesiastical administrator may send
  his proxy to one of the laymen trustees. No act or procedure other  than
  regular  routine matters in regard to the administration of the temporal
  affairs of  the  church  and  for  the  care  of  the  property  of  the
  corporation, as included in the budget items, shall be valid without the
  sanction of the archbishop and ecclesiastical administrator of the synod
  or  diocese to which the church belongs; nor shall the trustees, without
  the consent of the corporate meeting incur debts for items not  provided
  in  the  adopted budget. Trustees of such incorporated church shall have
  no power to call, settle or remove a minister or to fix his  salary;  or
  to  fix,  change  the  time,  nature  or  order  of the public or social
  worship, rites and religious observances of such  church  which  are  or
  shall be established by the governing ecclesiastical body.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 3-B - Parishes or Churches of the Holy Orthodox Church in America › 50-JJ - Vacancies Among Trustees.

§  50-jj.  Vacancies  among  trustees.  If  any  trustee  of  any such
  incorporated church declines to act, resigns or dies, or ceases to be  a
  qualified  voter  at  a  corporate  meeting thereof, his office shall be
  vacant; and such vacancy may be filled by the remaining  trustees  until
  the  next  annual corporate meeting of such church; at which meeting the
  vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term.