325 - Corporate meetings.

§  325.  Corporate meetings. 1. The trustees of an incorporated United  Methodist church shall be elected at the annual corporate meeting  which  shall  be  held at the time and place fixed by the by-laws, if such time  and place be so fixed, and otherwise at a time and place to be fixed  by  its  trustees.  A  special  corporate  meeting of any such church may be  called by the board of trustees thereof, on its own  motion  or  on  the  written  request  of  at  least ten qualified voters of such church. The  trustees shall cause  notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  the  annual  corporate  meeting  therein  specifying  the name of any trustees, whose  successors are to  be  elected  thereat,  and,  if  a  special  meeting,  specifying the business to be transacted thereat, to be given at each of  the  two next preceding regular meetings of such incorporated church for  public worship, at least one week apart, at  morning  service,  if  such  service  be  held,  on  Sunday,  if  Sunday  be the day for such regular  meetings, or if no such public worship be held during  such  period,  by  conspicuously  posting such notice in writing upon the outer entrance to  the principal place of worship of such  church.  Such  notice  shall  be  given  by  the  district  superintendent,  the  pastor,  the officiating  minister or an officer of the church.    2. At such a corporate meeting the following persons,  and  no  other,  shall  be  qualified  voters  for the election of trustees, to wit:  all  persons who are  full  members  of  such  church  in  good  and  regular  standing.  The  members  present  at  any  duly  announced meeting shall  constitute a quorum. Each action of  the  meeting  upon  any  matter  or  question  shall be decided by a majority of the qualified voters present  and voting thereon. At such a meeting the district superintendent or the  pastor shall preside, or in the absence of both or in case of either  or  both  declining  to  preside,  any  qualified  voter  may  be elected to  preside. The presiding officer of the meeting shall receive  the  votes,  be  the  judge of qualifications of voters subject to appeal to the vote  of  the  members  present  whose  qualifications  as  voters   are   not  challenged, and declare the result of the votes cast on any matter.    3.  Election  of  trustees at the annual corporate meeting shall be by  written individual ballot and on a majority vote. Such trustees shall be  of full age and each election shall provide that at least two-thirds  of  the  board  of trustees shall be members of The United Methodist Church.  The trustees shall be elected for a term of three years or  until  their  successors  have  been  duly  elected,  provided that one-third shall be  elected each year.