All real and personal property belonging to or held in trust for any local church of The United Methodist Church that has or shall become abandoned shall vest in and become the property of that annual conference of The United Methodist Church in which such local church was located.

A local church of The United Methodist Church shall be regarded as abandoned when its membership is so reduced that it has not sufficient members to fill its offices, and when it has ceased to hold its regular meetings and to keep its relation with any charge having regular connection with an annual conference of The United Methodist Church for a period of 2 consecutive years.

The annual conference of The United Methodist Church in which any such abandoned local church was located may, in pursuance of a resolution by it, sell the property of any such abandoned local church and convey the same to the purchaser by deed in its corporate name.

L.1968, c. 235, s. 13, eff. July 31, 1968. Amended by L.1973, c. 269, s. 5, eff. Nov. 29, 1973.