N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 69: Trustees, their meetings, vacancies and filling thereof, their powers

§ 69. Trustees, their meetings, vacancies and filling thereof, their

powers. 1. Two trustees of an incorporated church, to which this

article is applicable, may call a meeting of such trustees by giving at

least twenty-four hours' notice thereof personally or by mail to the

other trustees. A majority of the trustees lawfully convened shall

constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In case of a tie

vote at a meeting of the trustees, the presiding officer of such meeting

shall, notwithstanding he has voted once, have an additional casting

vote.

2. If any trustee of an incorporated church to which this article is

applicable, declines to act, resigns or dies, or ceases to be such

member, his office shall be vacant. Such vacancy may be filled at a duly

called special meeting of the corporation.

3. Subject to the authority of the session, the trustees of an

incorporated church to which this article is applicable shall have the

custody and control of all the temporalities and property belonging to

the corporation and of the revenues from such property and shall

administer the same in accordance with the constitution of the

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 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 with the

denomination with which it is connected, and they shall not use such

property or revenue for any other purpose or divert the same from such

uses.

4. The words "temporalities," "property," "revenue" and "revenues," as

used in this section, or elsewhere in this article, shall not be

construed to include the contributions in such church or elsewhere for

benevolent or other purposes, which shall be contributed and paid to the

pastor or pastors, ruling elders, the church session, or the deacons of

any such church, either in the church services or otherwise, to be

distributed, or used, or administered, by them, or any, or either of

them, nor to any funds or property devised, bequeathed or contributed,

to be administered or expended by such pastor or pastors, ruling elders,

church session, deacons or other spiritual officers of such church.

5. 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.