N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 179: Reincorporation of existing corporations

§ 179. Reincorporation of existing corporations. Any Ukrainian

Orthodox church heretofore incorporated, other than those incorporated

under the provisions of article five of the religious corporations law,

may reincorporate under the provisions of this article, by filing in the

county clerk's office in the county in which its principal place of

worship is located, a certificate, signed by the trustees in office at

the time of such reincorporation, or by the majority of them, setting

forth that they desire to reincorporate under the provisions of this

article, the corporate name by which such church shall be known, the

county, town, city or village where its place of worship is or is

intended to be located, and the number and the names of the trustees who

are to hold office until the next annual meeting of said corporation. If

the bishop or archbishop having ecclesiastical jurisdiction over such

church is not one of the trustees signing the certificate of

reincorporation, such certificate shall not be valid until said bishop

or archbishop has given his assent in writing to such reincorporation

and the same is made a part of the certificate. Immediately upon the

filing of such certificate all the right, title and interest of such

organization or corporation in any estate, real or personal, shall, with

all franchise and charter rights, be vested in said body corporate and

politic so created under this article and the original incorporation of

such organization shall be null and void.

The incorporation of a new church or reincorporation of an old church

under this article shall not be valid until the same has been approved

by a justice of the supreme court.