Section 295. Government: powers and duties of trustees  


Latest version.
  • 1. Every church,
      parish,   congregation,   society,   or   committee   incorporated    or
      re-incorporated,  pursuant  to  this article, shall recognize and be and
      remain subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the  duly  appointed
      and canonical hierarch, bishop or other administrator, certified through
      the  secretariat  of  the  Federated  Orthodox  Greek  Catholic  Primary
      Jurisdictions in  America,  as  appropriate  for  its  members,  or  his
      successor in office whose authority is likewise certified; shall accept,
      secure  or receive the sacramental, pastoral, or ministerial services of
      such clergy only as are so certified  to  be  of  lawful  and  canonical
      status  or  authority  in the Orthodox Greek Catholic (Eastern Orthodox)
      Church; and shall retain or secure as pastors only such clergy as  have,
      in  addition,  the  permission  of the hierarch, bishop or administrator
      certified to be appropriate; and shall in all other respects conform to,
      maintain, and follow the faith, doctrine, ritual, communion, discipline,
      canon law, traditions and usages of the Orthodox Greek Catholic (Eastern
      Orthodox) Church.
        2. Any action of the  trustees  or  parish  committees  regarding  the
      calling,  appointment, removal or compensation of parish clergy shall be
      subject  to  approval,  in  writing,  by  the  appropriate   bishop   or
      administrator exercising jurisdiction.
        3.  The trustees of every such incorporated or re-incorporated church,
      society or committee shall have the  custody  and  control  of  all  the
      temporalities   and  property,  real  and  personal,  belonging  to  the
      corporation, and of all the revenues therefrom; and shall administer the
      same strictly in accordance with the by-laws of the corporation and  the
      rules,   regulations   and   usages  of  the  orthodox  jurisdiction  or
      ecclesiastical governing body to which such church, society or committee
      is subject.
        4. The number  of  first  trustees  shall  be  a  multiple  of  three;
      one-third  of  such  first  trustees  to  hold  office  for three years;
      one-third thereof to hold office for two years; and one-third thereof to
      hold  office  for  one  year  from  the  first  election  following  the
      incorporation;  and  thereafter  at  each annual election there shall be
      elected for a term of three years one-third of the number of trustees.