225-f. Annual election of trustees. 1. Trustees of an incorporated free Methodist church shall be elected at the annual society meeting held within three months prior to the session of the annual conference to which the society belongs. Notice of such meeting shall be publicly announced at a regular meeting of such incorporated church for public worship upon Sunday, if such service be held on Sunday, and at least ten days, and not more than thirty days, before said meeting shall be held. This notice shall be given by the pastor, the officiating minister or an officer of the church. At the said annual society meeting the pastor shall preside, or in the absence of a pastor or in case of his declining, any qualified voter therein may be elected to preside. During the election of the trustees the following persons, and no others, shall be qualified voters, to wit: all persons who are then members in full connection or on probation of such church in good and regular standing. Said election shall be by ballot and on a majority vote, and at least six persons qualified to vote thereat shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. The trustees shall be so elected that the office of one-third of them shall continue for three years, one-third for two years, and one-third for one year. At least two-thirds of said trustees shall be members in full connection of the free Methodist church in good and regular standing. All trustees shall hold their office until their successors are elected, unless their office shall terminate as provided for in section two hundred and twenty-five-h of this article.
2. A special corporate meeting of any such church may be called by the trustees thereof on their own motion, and must be called upon the written request of at least six qualified voters of such church, and shall be called and notice thereof given in the same manner as for an annual corporate meeting.
Last modified: February 3, 2019