16:11-1. Incorporation; election of trustees; tenure

Any Christian congregation connected with the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, not having an incorporated board of trustees, may elect and incorporate a board of trustees in the following manner:

Any 7 or more members of the congregation, male or female, 21 years of age, may sign a written notice of a business meeting of the congregation to decide whether trustees shall be elected and incorporated, and to elect such trustees if so decided. The notice shall be conspicuously posted at the main entrance of the usual place of meeting for public worship at least 10 days previous to the date of the meeting mentioned in the notice. If, at such meeting, the congregation shall decide by resolution to elect and incorporate a board of trustees, they shall then by resolution determine the number of trustees to be elected, which number shall be 3 or any multiple of 3, and the name by which the incorporated board shall be known. Thereupon the congregation shall, by a plurality of the votes cast by those of its members, male or female, 21 years of age, who have within the 3 months next preceding contributed toward the support of the gospel in that congregation, elect, from such members, 1/3 of the whole number of trustees to serve until the first succeeding annual business meeting, 1/3 until the second succeeding annual business meeting, and 1/3 until the third succeeding annual business meeting, but a majority of the whole number of trustees shall at all times be members of the church in good and regular standing. At each succeeding annual business meeting of the congregation, successors of the class of trustees whose terms are then expiring shall be elected from such members of the congregation as aforesaid to serve until the third annual business meeting after the election of such successors.

Amended by L.1964, c. 270, s. 1.