N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 275

§ 275. Government. The district superintendent of the district to\nwhich any incorporated church of the Nazarene belongs, and his successor\nin office, shall be by virtue of his office, a trustee of said church;\nand the laymen, members of such church who signed said certificate of\nincorporation shall together constitute the first board of trustees\nthereof. The term of office of the laymen trustees of the incorporated\nchurch of the Nazarene, shall be one year; the number of laymen trustees\nshall be three, six or nine. Whenever the office of any such laymen\ntrustees shall become vacant by expiration of term of office or\notherwise, his successor shall be elected by a majority vote of the duly\nqualified members of said church. No act or proceedings of the trustees\nof any incorporated church shall be valid, without the sanction of the\ndistrict superintendent of the district to which such church belongs, or\nin case of his absence or inability to act, without the sanction of one\nof the general superintendents of the church of the Nazarene of the\nUnited States.\n