N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 347: The powers and duties of trustees

§ 347. The powers and duties of trustees. 1. The trustees of an

incorporated church to which this article is applicable shall have the

custody and control of all the temporalities and property, real or

personal, belonging to the corporation and of all the revenues therefrom

and shall administer the same strictly in accordance with the

discipline, rules, usages, laws and constitution of the Byelorussian

Autocephalic Orthodox Church in America, and with the provisions of law

relating thereto, for the support and maintenance of the church

corporation or providing the members thereof at a corporate meeting

thereof shall so authorize, of some religious, charitable, benevolent or

educational object, conducted by such church, or connected with it, or

the governing ecclesiastical body of the Byelorussian Autocephalic

Orthodox Church in America, and they shall not use such property or

revenue for any other purpose or divert the same from such uses.

2. By-laws or directions adopted at any corporate meeting of any such

incorporated church shall control the subsequent action of its trustees,

as to the temporalities and property or revenues therefrom, and as to

the care thereof, and changes in either thereof and disposition thereof.

3. The trustees of any such church shall have no power, without the

consent of a corporate meeting, to incur debts beyond what is necessary

for the care of the property of the corporation.

4. The trustees shall not prevent or interfere with the rector or

other duly authorized ministers in the use of said property for

religious services or other proper meetings recognized by the law and

usages of the Byelorussian Autocephalic Orthodox Church in America.

5. The trustees of an incorporated church to which this article is

applicable, shall have no power to settle or remove or fix the salary of

the minister. The trustees shall also have no power to fix or change the

time, nature or order of the public or social worship of such church,

except when such trustees are also the spiritual officers of such

church.

6. The trustees of any such church shall be responsible to the

diocesan council or the convention (sobor) of the diocese within bounds

of which such church is situated in accordance with the discipline,

rules, usages, laws and constitution of the Byelorussian Autocephalic

Orthodox Church in America and shall make reports to said diocesan

council or convention (sobor) which reports shall include all the items

required.