Section 344. Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications of voters  


Latest version.
  • 1. At a corporate meeting of an incorporated church to  which  this  article is applicable, the following persons, and no others, shall
      be qualified voters, to wit: All persons who are then  members  in  good
      and  regular standing of such church by admission into full communion or
      membership therewith  in  accordance  with  the  rules  and  regulations
      thereof,  and  of  the governing ecclesiastical body of the Byelorussian
      Autocephalic Orthodox Church, and who have  been  stated  attendants  on
      divine  worship  in  such  church  and have regularly contributed to the
      financial support thereof during the year next preceding such meeting.
        2. The annual corporate meeting shall be governed with respect to  its
      organization  and  election  of  laymen  trustees  and  the clerk of the
      corporation by the same provisions as set forth in this article for  the
      incorporation  of  said  church,  except  if there be no rector or he be
      necessarily absent or if he refuses to call such meeting to  order,  the
      chairman of the board of trustees shall do so.
        3. The same provisions shall apply to a special corporate meeting.
        4.  At  the  annual  corporate  meeting the trustees shall cause to be
      prepared and read thereat a budget  giving  the  approximate  amount  of
      money  needed  for the maintenance of worship, the administration of the
      temporal affairs of the church and for the care  of  the  property,  and
      such  other  regular  and  special  items  as  shall  be  brought to the
      attention of the meeting, which budget shall be  discussed  and  decided
      upon,  ratified  or  amended  by the said meeting by majority vote, with
      ample provision made to raise such funds by whatever usages  the  church
      shall elect.
        5.  In  the  event  that  a  quorum shall not be present at any annual
      corporate meeting and no election of the trustees and officers shall  be
      accordingly  had  thereat,  the  board  of trustees shall call a special
      meeting (which may be referred  to  as  an  adjourned  annual  corporate
      meeting)  at  a time and place to be fixed by it. Notice of such meeting
      shall be given in the same manner as provided for any  special  meeting.
      If  such  special  meeting be not called by the board of trustees within
      two weeks following the date for such  annual  meeting,  the  rector  is
      authorized  to  and  shall  call such special meeting and notice thereof
      shall be given in like manner. The election of officers  and  any  other
      business  required  or  scheduled  to  have been had or conducted at the
      annual corporate meeting may  be  had  and  conducted  at  such  special
      meeting. In the event that a quorum shall not be present at such special
      meeting  and  no  election of officers shall be accordingly had thereat,
      the rector, vicar or minister in charge of the church  or  congregation,
      with the approval of the bishop, not more than sixty days thereafter, is
      authorized  to  and  shall  appoint  the  laymen trustees, and other lay
      officers to the offices not filled by election at such annual  corporate
      meeting  or  such  special  meeting,  and they shall hold office as such
      until the next succeeding annual  meeting.  If  such  rector,  vicar  or
      minister  shall fail to make such appointments, the bishop is authorized
      to and shall make such appointments, with like force and effect.