N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 180

§ 180. Corporation, how formed. Any seven or more persons of full age,\ncitizens of the United States, and a majority of them being residents of\nthis state, who shall associate themselves for the purpose of founding\nand continuing one or more free churches, may make, sign and\nacknowledge, before any officer authorized to take the acknowledgment of\ndeeds of land to be recorded in this state, and may file in the office\nof the secretary of state, and also of the clerk of the county in which\nany such church is to be established, and record as provided in section\nthree of this chapter, a certificate in writing, in which shall be\nstated the name or title by which such society shall be known in the\nlaw, the purpose of its organization, and the names of seven trustees,\nof whom not less than five shall be persons who are not ministers of the\ngospel or priests of any denomination, to manage the same; but such\ncertificate shall not be filed, unless with the written consent and\napprobation of a justice of the supreme court of the district in which\nany such church shall be intended to be established, to be indorsed on\nsuch certificate.\n