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