2013 New York Consolidated Laws
RCO - Religious Corporations
Article 2 - (3 - 27) GENERAL PROVISIONS
15-A - Consolidation of incorporated presbyteries.

 
    §  15-a.  Consolidation  of  incorporated presbyteries. 1. Two or more
  incorporated  presbyteries  may  enter  into  an   agreement   for   the
  consolidation   of  such  corporations  and  such  corporations  may  be
  consolidated so as to form a single corporation which may  be  either  a
  new  corporation or one of the constitutent corporations. Said agreement
  shall set forth the name of the proposed new corporation or the name  of
  the   existing   corporation   if  it  is  to  become  the  consolidated
  corporation, the method of choosing trustees, the names of  the  persons
  to  be  the  first  trustees  of the new corporation if the consolidated
  corporation is to be a new corporation and the date of the first  annual
  corporate meeting.
    2.  Such  agreement must be authorized and approved by a majority vote
  of the members of each contracting presbytery  taken  at  a  meeting  at
  which  a  quorum  is  present duly called in accordance with the form of
  government of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the  notice  of  such
  meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting.
    3.  Before such agreement is approved as aforesaid, such consolidation
  must be directed and approved by the Synod  of  the  Northeast  and  the
  General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
    4.  Each presbytery shall thereafter join in a petition to the supreme
  court for an order consolidating  the  corporation,  setting  forth  the
  agreement of the contracting presbyteries, the direction and approval of
  the  bodies as set forth in subdivision three hereof, a statement of all
  the property and liabilities and the sources of  the  annual  income  of
  each  presbytery  and  a  description  of  any  property  held  by  such
  presbyteries in trust for specific purposes. In its discretion the court
  may direct that notice of the hearing of such petition be given  to  the
  parties interested therein in such manner as it may prescribe.
    5.  After  hearing all the parties interested, present and desiring to
  be heard, the court may make an  order  for  the  consolidation  of  the
  presbyteries  on  the  terms  of such agreement and such other terms and
  conditions  as  it  may  prescribe,  specifying  the  name  of  the  new
  corporation  or  the name the continuing corporation will have if one of
  the constitutent corporations is to become the consolidated corporation,
  the first trustees thereof if a new corporation is to be created and the
  method by which their successors shall be chosen and  the  date  of  the
  first annual corporate meeting if a new corporation is to be created.
    6.  When such order is made and duly entered, the persons constituting
  such corporate presbyteries shall become one  incorporated  consolidated
  presbytery   by,   and   said   petitioning  presbyteries  shall  become
  consolidated under, the name designated in the order, and  the  trustees
  therein  named,  if it is a new corporation, shall be the first trustees
  thereof, and if it is a new corporation the trustees  thereof  shall  be
  chosen  by  the  method  therein designated, and all the estate, rights,
  powers  and  property  of  whatsoever  nature,   belonging   to   either
  corporation  shall  without  further  act  or  deed  be vested in and/or
  transferred to the new corporation as effectually as they were vested in
  or belonging to the former  corporations,  and  the  new  or  continuing
  corporation  shall  be  liable  for all the debts and liabilities of the
  former corporations in the same manner and as  effectually  as  if  said
  debts  or  liabilities  had  been  contracted  or  incurred  by  the new
  corporation.
    7. The order or a certified copy thereof shall be recorded in the book
  for recording certificates  of  incorporation  in  each  county  clerk's
  office  in  which  the  certificate of incorporation of each constituent
  presbytery was recorded.

    8.  Such  consolidated  presbytery  shall  have  all  the  powers  and
  responsibilities  conferred  upon  presbyteries  by the constitution and
  form of government of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).