N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 339: The meeting for incorporation

§ 339. The meeting for incorporation. 1. At the meeting for

incorporation, held in pursuance of such notice, the qualified voters,

until otherwise decided as hereinafter provided, shall be all persons of

full age, who are then members in good and regular standing of such

congregation by admission into full communion and membership therewith,

in accordance with the rules and regulations thereof, and of the

governing ecclesiastical body of the Byelorussian Autocephalic Orthodox

Church.

2. At such meeting, the presence of a majority of such qualified

voters, at least six in number, shall be necessary to constitute a

quorum and all matters or questions shall be decided by a majority of

the qualified voters voting thereon.

3. The meeting shall be called to order by the first named of the

following persons who is present thereat, to wit: The minister in charge

of such congregation, or the officiating minister thereat, or one of the

persons qualified to sign the notice of the meeting for incorporation in

the order of their age beginning with the oldest.

4. There shall be elected at such meeting from the qualified voters

there present, a presiding officer, a clerk to keep the record of the

proceedings of the meeting and two inspectors of election to receive the

ballots cast. The presiding officer and the inspector shall decide the

result of the ballots cast on any matter and shall be the judges of the

qualifications of the voters, subject to appeal to the vote of the

members present whose qualifications as voters are not challenged.

5. If the meeting shall decide that such congregation shall become an

incorporated church, the meeting shall also decide upon the name of the

proposed corporation, the number of laymen trustees thereof, which shall

be a multiple of three, and the date, not more than fifteen months

thereafter, on which the first annual election of the laymen trustees

thereof shall be held, and shall decide also whether those who, from the

time of the formation of such congregation or during the year preceding

the meeting for incorporation, have statedly worshipped with such

congregation and have regularly contributed to the financial support

thereof, shall be qualified voters at such meeting for incorporation,

and that those who during the year preceding the subsequent corporate

meetings of the church shall have statedly worshipped with such church

and shall have regularly contributed to the financial support thereof,

shall be qualified voters at such corporate meetings.

6. Such meetings shall thereupon elect by ballot from the persons

qualified to vote thereat one-third of the number of trustees so decided

on, who shall hold office until the first annual election of trustees

thereafter, and one-third of such number of trustees who shall hold

office until the second annual election for trustees thereafter, and

one-third of such number of trustees who shall hold office until the

third annual election thereafter, or until the respective successors of

such trustees shall be elected.

7. Such meeting shall also elect by ballot a clerk of the corporation,

who shall hold office until the close of the next annual meeting.