N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 107: Government of incorporated churches of Orthodox Church in America; powers and duties of trustees

§ 107. Government of incorporated churches of Orthodox Church in

America; powers and duties of trustees. 1. Every American Orthodox

church in this state, whether incorporated before or after the said

proclamation of autocephaly, and whether incorporated or reincorporated

pursuant to this article or any other article of the religious

corporations law, or any general or private law, shall recognize and be

and remain subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the general

council, metropolitan archbishop or other primate or hierarch, the

council of bishops, the executive council and other governing bodies and

authorities of the Orthodox Church in America, pursuant to the statute

for the government thereof, and any amendments thereto and any other

statutes or rules adopted by a general council of the Orthodox Church in

America and shall in all other respects conform to, maintain and follow

the faith, doctrine, ritual, communion, discipline, canon law,

traditions and usages of the Eastern Confession (Eastern Orthodox or

Greek Catholic Church); provided, however, that the provisions of this

section shall not be applicable to any church incorporated in this state

which was excluded from the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in

America by said proclamation of autocephaly, namely, St. Nicholas

Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church in North America and St. Mark

Chapel, both of the County of New York, City of New York, St. John the

Baptist Chapel, County of Bronx, City of New York, Church of St. George

the Great Martyr, County of Queens, City of New York, Church of All

Saints Glorified in the Russian Land, Village of Pine Bush, County of

Orange, House Chapel of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Village of Westtown,

County of Orange, and Church of St. George the Great Martyr, City of

Buffalo, County of Erie, unless any such church shall reincorporate

pursuant to this article and the certificate therefor shall set forth,

in addition to the other statements required to be set forth therein,

that the corporation is being reincorporated pursuant to this article

with the permission of the governing authority of the Russian Orthodox

Church.

2. The six lay members of every church incorporated pursuant to this

article signing the certificate of incorporation and the rector shall be

the trustees of such church for the first year or until their successors

are selected according to the by-laws of such church or the rules and

usages of the Orthodox Church in America.

3. The trustees of every American Orthodox church shall have the

custody and control of all temporalities and property, real and

personal, belonging to such church and of the revenues therefrom and

shall administer the same in accordance with the by-laws of such

church,, and any amendments thereto and all other rules, statutes,

regulations and usages of the Orthodox Church in America.