All religious corporations or churches authorized, prior to April 23, 1968, to use or be known by a name or names including the words “Methodist Church” or “Evangelical United Brethren Church”, and all societies, conferences, boards, associations or other organizations directly connected therewith, are authorized to change their names by eliminating the word or words “Methodist Church” or “Evangelical United Brethren Church” and adding the words “The United Methodist Church”; and all gifts, bequests and devises to, contracts with, conveyances to or by, or other acts affecting any such religious corporation or church by either the name used by it or by which it was known before this change or the name used by it or by which it is known after this change shall be valid; and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit, change, affect or alter any other existing right, power, property, obligation, liability or duty of any such religious corporation or church.