§ 55. Annual and special corporate meetings. 1. The annual corporate
meeting of every church or congregation incorporated under this article
shall be held at the time and place fixed by its by-laws, or if no time
and place is so fixed, then at a time and place to be fixed by its
trustees, but to be changed only by a by-law adopted at an annual
meeting; or if not otherwise fixed, such annual corporate meeting shall
be held on the date said certificate of incorporation was executed,
unless the same fall due on a Sunday or legal holiday in any year, in
which case said annual corporate meeting shall be held the day
following.

2. A special corporate meeting of any such church may be called by the
trustees thereof, on their own motion, and shall be called on the
written request of at least ten qualified voters of such church.

3. The trustees shall cause notice of the time and place of its annual
corporate meeting, and the names of any trustees whose successors are to
be elected thereat, and if a special meeting, of the business to be
transacted thereat, to be publicly read by the minister of such church
or any of the trustees thereof at a regular meeting of the church for
public worship, on the two successive Sundays immediately preceding such
meeting.

4. The annual corporate meeting shall be governed with respect to its
organization and election of laymen trustees, clerk of the corporation
and qualifications of voters (except with respect to age qualifications
of voters as provided in section four-a) by the same provisions as set
forth in this article for the incorporation of said church, except, that
the duly ordained and regularly appointed rector or vicar shall preside,
or if there be a vacancy in such office, one of the wardens shall
preside, the congregation in such case voting by ballot for its
presiding officer.

5. The same provisions shall apply to a special corporate meeting.

6. At the annual corporate meeting the trustees shall cause to be
prepared and read thereat a budget giving the approximate amount of
money needed for the maintenance of worship, the administration of the
temporal affairs of the church and for the care of the property, and
such other regular and special items as shall be brought to the
attention of the meeting, which budget shall be discussed and decided
upon, ratified or amended by the said meeting by majority vote, with
ample provision made to raise such funds by whatever usages the church
shall elect.

7. In the event that a quorum shall not be present at any annual
corporate meeting and no election of officers shall be accordingly had
thereat, the rector, vicar, or minister in charge of the church or
congregation is authorized to and shall call a special meeting (which
may be referred to as an adjourned annual corporate meeting) at a time
and place to be fixed by him. Notice of such meeting shall be given in
the same manner as provided for any special meeting. If such special
meeting be not called by such rector, vicar or minister within two weeks
following the date for such annual meeting, the bishop is authorized to
and shall call such special meeting and notice thereof shall be given in
like manner. The election of officers and any other business required or
scheduled to have been had or conducted at the annual corporate meeting
may be had and conducted at such special meeting. In the event that a
quorum shall not be present at such special meeting and no election of
officers shall be accordingly had thereat, the rector, vicar or minister
in charge of the church or congregation, with the approval of the
bishop, not more than sixty days thereafter, is authorized to and shall
appoint the laymen trustees, wardens and other lay officers to the
offices not filled by election at such annual corporate meeting or such
special meeting, and they shall hold office as such until the next
succeeding annual meeting. If such rector, vicar or minister shall fail
to make such appointments, the bishop is authorized to and shall make
such appointments, with like force and effect.