§ 5-327

The absence of a trust clause in any deed or other conveyance executed before June 1, 1953, does not relieve or exclude a local church in any way from its Methodist connectional responsibilities or from the provisions of this part and does not absolve a local congregation or board of trustees of its responsibility to the United Methodist Church, if such an intent of the founders or the later congregations and boards of trustees is indicated by:

(1) The conveyance of the assets to the trustees of the local church or any of its predecessors;

(2) The use of the name, customs, and polity of the United Methodist Church in such a way as to be known to the community as part of this denomination; or

(3) The acceptance of the pastorate of ministers appointed by a bishop of the United Methodist Church or employed by the superintendent of the district in which the local church is located.