§ 477. Reincorporation of present incorporated churches. 1. Any church
heretofore incorporated may, subject to restrictions and limitations of
existing laws, reincorporate under the provisions of this article, by
filing in the county clerk's office in the county in which its principal
place of worship is located, a certificate, signed and acknowledged by
all the trustees of said church in office at the time of such
reincorporation, setting forth that the said church by a majority vote
of the members present at a duly called meeting of the membership, as
determined by the by-laws of the existing corporation, desires to
reincorporate under the provisions of this article. Such certificate
shall set forth those items specified in section four hundred
seventy-six of this article.

2. The reincorporated corporation shall be deemed a continuation of
the previously organized corporation, but thereafter it shall have only
such rights and powers and be subject only to such obligations as any
corporation created under this article, provided, however, that all
property rights and liabilities of the previously organized corporation
shall be vested in and assumed by the reincorporated corporation. The
corporate by-laws and officers of the reincorporated corporation shall
be the same as those of its predecessor until changed pursuant to the
said by-laws, provided they conform to the provisions of section four
hundred seventy-five of this article.