Section 322. Meeting for incorporation  


Latest version.
  • 1.  Notice of a meeting for the
      purpose of incorporating an unincorporated United Methodist church shall
      be in writing and shall state in  substance,  that  a  meeting  of  such
      unincorporated  church  will  be held at its usual place of worship at a
      specified day and hour, for the purpose of incorporating such  a  church
      and selecting a name therefor and electing trustees thereof.
        2.  Such  notice  must  be  signed by at least six full members of the
      church who are all of full age and in good and  regular  standing.  This
      notice  shall be publicly read at each of the two next preceding regular
      meetings of such unincorporated church for public worship, at least  one
      week  apart,  at morning service, if such service be held, on Sunday, if
      Sunday be the day for such regular meetings by the pastor or by  one  of
      the signers thereof.
        3.  At the meeting for incorporation held in pursuance of such notice,
      the following persons, and no others, shall be qualified voters, to wit:
      all persons of full age who are then full members in  good  and  regular
      standing  in such church. The presence of at least six persons qualified
      to vote thereat shall be necessary to constitute  a  quorum  of  such  a
      meeting. Each action of the meeting upon any matter or question shall be
      decided  by  a  majority  of  the  qualified  voters  present and voting
      thereon. At such a meeting the district  superintendent  or  the  pastor
      shall  preside,  or  in the absence of both or in case of either or both
      declining to preside, any qualified voter may  be  elected  to  preside.
      The  presiding  officer  shall  be  the  judge  of the qualifications of
      voters, subject to appeal to the  vote  of  the  members  present  whose
      qualifications as voters are not challenged, and shall receive the votes
      cast and declare the result of the same.
        4.  If  such  meeting  shall decide to incorporate such unincorporated
      church,  it  shall  also  decide  upon  the   name   of   the   proposed
      incorporation, the number of trustees thereof, which shall be three, six
      or  nine,  and  shall  determine  the date, not more than fifteen months
      thereafter, on which the first annual election of the  trustees  thereof
      after such meeting shall be held. Such meeting shall elect by ballot the
      number of trustees decided upon, which trustees shall be of full age and
      two-thirds  of  whom  shall  be  members of The United Methodist Church.
      One-third of these shall be elected  to  hold  office  until  the  first
      annual  election  of  trustees  thereafter,  one-third  until the second
      annual election, and one-third until the third annual election.