§ 225-F — Annual election of trustees

§ 225-f. Annual election of trustees. 1. Trustees of an incorporated\nfree Methodist church shall be elected at the annual society meeting\nheld within three months prior to the session of the annual conference\nto which the society belongs. Notice of such meeting shall be publicly\nannounced at a regular meeting of such incorporated church for public\nworship upon Sunday, if such service be held on Sunday, and at least ten\ndays, and not more than thirty days, before said meeting shall be held.\nThis notice shall be given by the pastor, the officiating minister or an\nofficer of the church. At the said annual society meeting the pastor\nshall preside, or in the absence of a pastor or in case of his\ndeclining, any qualified voter therein may be elected to preside. During\nthe election of the trustees the following persons, and no others, shall\nbe qualified voters, to wit: all persons who are then members in full\nconnection or on probation of such church in good and regular standing.\nSaid election shall be by ballot and on a majority vote, and at least\nsix persons qualified to vote thereat shall be necessary to constitute a\nquorum. The trustees shall be so elected that the office of one-third of\nthem shall continue for three years, one-third for two years, and\none-third for one year. At least two-thirds of said trustees shall be\nmembers in full connection of the free Methodist church in good and\nregular standing. All trustees shall hold their office until their\nsuccessors are elected, unless their office shall terminate as provided\nfor in section two hundred and twenty-five-h of this article.\n 2. A special corporate meeting of any such church may be called by the\ntrustees thereof on their own motion, and must be called upon the\nwritten request of at least six qualified voters of such church, and\nshall be called and notice thereof given in the same manner as for an\nannual corporate meeting.\n