§ 13 §2982 — Officers as corporations; organization and powers

The church wardens of Episcopal churches, the stewards or trustees of the United Methodist church and the deacons of all other Protestant churches are considered corporations as to take, in succession, all grants and gifts of real and personal estate made to their churches or to them and their successors. If the ministers, elders or vestry members are joined with them in such grants or gifts, the 2 classes of officers are considered corporations for that purpose. For the purpose of organizing any such corporation, one or more members of the corporation may call a meeting thereof by a notice posted upon the outer door of the meetinghouse or place of public worship of their parish or society at least 7 days before the time of holding such meeting; or, if there is no such meetinghouse or place of public worship, by a notice posted in 2 public and conspicuous places in the town wherein the parish or society is located. At such meeting the corporation may organize, adopt a corporate name and elect such officers as its bylaws prescribe. Said corporations are authorized to take by gift, purchase, bequest, demise or otherwise real and personal property for religious purposes, and may make such contracts in relation to such estate, its improvements, disposal, investment or reinvestment, as they may be authorized under the rules of their church or instructed by the church for which they hold estate in trust to make, and the contracts may be enforced by or against them as in other cases. A disposal of the estate may not be made inconsistent with the terms of the grant by which it is held. Trustees of the local United Methodist churches are created a corporation with all the rights and privileges of corporations, subject to the restrictions contained in the book of discipline of the United Methodist church.

Legislative History

PL 1969, c. 20, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 244 (AMD). RR 2025, c. 1, Pt. E, §38 (COR).