§ 197. Changing number of trustees. An incorporated church to which
this article is applicable, may, at an annual corporate meeting, change
the number of its trustees to three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen,
eighteen, twenty-one or twenty-four, or classify them so that the terms
of one-third expire each year. No such change shall affect the terms of
the trustees then in office, and if the change reduces the number of
trustees, it shall not take effect until the number of trustees whose
terms of office continue for one or more years after an annual election
is less than the number determined on. Whenever the number of trustees
so holding over is less than the number so determined on, trustees shall
be elected in addition to those so holding over, sufficient to make the
number of trustees for the ensuing year equal to the number so
determined on. The trustees so elected up to and including one-third of
the number so determined on, shall be elected for three years, the
remainder up to and including one-third of the number so determined on
for two years, and the remainder for one year.