When a parish, congregation, or society becomes extinct by reason of the death or dispersion of its members, the court of common pleas of the county in which any real property of such extinct parish, congregation, or society is situated may, upon the petition of the board of trustees of the denomination to which the extinct parish, congregation, or society belonged, make an order for the sale of such real property, whether built upon or otherwise improved or not. The proceeds of the sale shall go to, and be for the benefit of, the denomination represented by such board, within the territorial limits represented by the body by which its members were appointed. The purchaser shall be vested with as complete a title to the property as the character of the original grant to such parish, congregation, or society will allow. This section does not limit or restrict the powers conferred upon such board by section 1715.12 of the Revised Code.

When the petition is filed all persons who have a vested, contingent, or reversionary interest in such real estate shall be made parties thereto, and shall be notified of the filing and pendency thereof, in the manner provided by law in cases of the partition of real estate. The court may make such order as to costs as it deems just.

All money derived from such sale shall be placed in the custody of the board of trustees of the presbytery, synod, conference, diocese, or other ecclesiastical body having jurisdiction in the territorial limits in which the property was located, and such board shall hold such money in trust for ten years, or for such period as is prescribed by the law of the denomination. If within that time another parish, congregation, or society of the same denomination is organized in the same locality, then the court which authorized the sale of the property, upon proper application and evidence, may authorize the turning over of the money to the board of trustees of the new organization. Otherwise it shall become a part of the funds of the presbytery, synod, conference, diocese, or other ecclesiastical body having such territorial jurisdiction.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953 .