New South Wales Consolidated Acts

CHURCHES OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST, INCORPORATION ACT 1962 - SECT 2

2 Incorporation, powers and administration of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Sydney

(1) All persons who are members of the said First Church of Christ, Scientist, Sydney accepting and holding the principles, faith and doctrines known as Christian Science and adhering to the tenets set forth in the Schedule and acknowledging and adopting the principles of church organisation, discipline, teaching, worship, service, procedure and practice laid down in the Manual and who for the time being constitute the body or association called First Church of Christ, Scientist, Sydney shall be a body corporate by the name of “First Church of Christ, Scientist, Sydney” and shall have perpetual succession and a common seal and under that name may sue and be sued, prosecute and defend and take and suffer all other proceedings in all courts civil and criminal.

(2) The said body corporate (hereinafter referred to as "First Church") may by resolution as provided in section 10 make by-laws and rules not inconsistent with this Act to provide for the following:

(a) the admission to, expulsion from or re-admission to membership,

(b) the conduct of the officers and the election and duties of officers,

(c) the appointment, rotation and duties of readers, librarians and Sunday School superintendents,

(d) the keeping of accounts and records,

(e) the appointment of auditors,

(f) the convening and conduct of meetings,

(g) the custody, care and maintenance of property,

(h) the execution and authentication of documents,

(i) the authorisation of expenditure,

(j) the rescission or amendment of by-laws and rules,

(k) the remuneration of officers and employees,

of or by such body corporate.

(3) Any such by-law or rule or any rescission or amendment thereof shall be made by a resolution carried at a meeting of the members of First Church convened as provided in section 10 by the majority provided in that section.

(4) It shall be further lawful for First Church to take, purchase, receive, hold and enjoy real and personal property of any description whatsoever and also to sell, grant, transfer, exchange, demise (whether by way of building lease or otherwise), give easements over or otherwise dispose of either absolutely or by way of mortgage, charge, lien or other encumbrance any of the property real or personal at any time belonging to First Church provided that if any such property is subject to any trust the provisions of such trust shall be carried out by First Church in accordance with the trust deed or other instrument creating such trust, and generally to exercise, subject to the provisions of this Act, all powers, rights and privileges incident to a body corporate.

(5) The administration of the affairs and the exercise of the powers of First Church shall be vested in the Executive Board duly appointed pursuant to the by-laws and rules of First Church for the time being subject to any by-law, rule or resolution of First Church or any resolution of the members of First Church carried at a meeting of such members convened as provided in section 10.

(6) The said Executive Board shall have the custody and use of the common seal of First Church and a majority of the members of such Executive Board present at any meeting duly convened shall have power to use or direct the use of such seal for all purposes for which the use of such seal is required.

(7) The seal shall only be affixed by virtue of a resolution of the said majority and in the presence of two members of the said Executive Board and of the chairman or the clerk for the time being of the said Executive Board and the said two members and the chairman or clerk shall sign their names to the document to which the seal has been affixed.