New York § 114 - 114Reformed churches in America, changing system of choosing trustees; minister, how chosen

§ 114. 114Reformed churches in America, changing system of choosing trustees; minister, how chosen

§ 114. Reformed churches in America, changing system of choosing trustees; minister, how chosen. If the ministers, elders and deacons who, at any time, by virtue of their offices, constitute the trustees of any Reformed church in America, or of any true Reformed Dutch church in the United States of America, determine that the trustees of such church shall thereafter be elective in pursuance of article ten of this chapter, and shall determine whether the number of such trustees shall be three, six or nine, and the date of the annual corporate meeting of the church, they may sign, acknowledge and cause to be filed and recorded in the office of the clerk of the county in which the certificate of incorporation of such church is filed or recorded, a certificate of such determinations. Thereafter the trustees of such church shall be elective in pursuance of the provisions of article ten of this chapter, relating to the election of trustees of incorporated churches. At the next annual corporate meeting after the filing of such certificate, one-third of the number of trustees so determined on shall be elected to hold office for one year, one-third for two years and one-third for three years, and the minister, elders and deacons shall cease to be the trustees of such church. At each subsequent annual corporate meeting of such church, one-third of the number of trustees so determined on shall be elected to hold office for three years. If the trustees of an incorporated Reformed church in America or of a true Dutch Reformed church in the United States of America are at any time elective, in pursuance of article ten of this chapter, or otherwise, the board of trustees and the consistory thereof may concurrently determine that the minister or ministers, if any, and the elders and deacons of such church shall constitute the trustees thereof. Thereon the president and clerk of the consistory and the president and clerk of the board of trustees shall sign and acknowledge and cause to be filed and recorded in the office of the clerk of the county in which the original certificate of incorporation is filed or recorded, a certificate of such determination, stating the names of such ministers, elders and deacons. On so filing and recording such certificate, such board of trustees shall be dissolved, and the minister or ministers, and elders and deacons of such church, and their successors in office shall constitute the trustees of such church.