Protestant Episcopal Church

V.S.A. tit. 27, ch. 7, subch. 6

in effect

27 V.S.A. § 901 Taking title to land

901. Taking title to land The rector, wardens, and members of the vestrymen of a parish of the Protestant Episcopal Church and their successors in office, elected according to the canons and usages of such church, shall have corporate powers with perpetuity for the purpose of taking and holding real or personal estate to support religious worship or for church sites, buildings, or rectories.

27 V.S.A. § 902 Conveyance of property

902. Conveyance of property Such rector, wardens, and members of the vestry may by majority vote give, sell, and convey real or personal estate belonging to the parish when empowered to do so by a majority vote at an annual meeting of the parish or one called for that purpose, and by vote duly recorded may authorize one of their number to execute all proper conveyances. In like manner, they may give, sell, and convey real or personal estate belonging to the parish to the Trustees of the Diocese of Vermont to receive and hold the same for the purpose specified in its act of incorporation and amendments thereto. Provided, however, that the rector, wardens, and members of the vestry shall not encumber or alienate any real or personal estate belonging to the parish or alienate any part thereof, save for refinancing of an existing loan, without the written consent of the bishop and standing committee of the Diocese of Vermont. Amended 1991, No. 58; 2023, No. 6, § 351, eff. July 1, 2023.

27 V.S.A. § 903 Rights of parish conveying property

903. Rights of parish conveying property A parish making such a conveyance to the Trustees of the Diocese of Vermont shall have no right or authority to charge the real or personal estate with any debts of the parish incurred subsequent to the making of the conveyance. Real and personal estate previously conveyed by a parish to the Trustees of the Diocese of Vermont shall not be liable for the debts of the parish incurred subsequent to November 15, 1898. Amended 2023, No. 6, § 352, eff. July 1, 2023.

27 V.S.A. § 904 Transfer of property of extinct parishes and missions

904. Transfer of property of extinct parishes and missions All property of any kind belonging to or held in trust for a parish or mission of the Protestant Episcopal Church, which, under the canons and usages of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Vermont, ceases to exist as a parish or mission, shall vest in and become the property of the Trustees of the Diocese of Vermont, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of Vermont, the property, or the avails thereof, to be used by said trustees for the aid, benefit or advancement of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Vermont in the manner authorized by the corporation charter of November 19, 1880 as amended. Added 1969, No. 96, § 1.

27 V.S.A. § 905 Procedure for transferring property

905. Procedure for transferring property Upon presentation to the Superior Court of the county in which said property is situated of a complaint signed by the Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Vermont requesting an order transferring the title to property of any kind belonging to a parish or mission to the Trustees of the Diocese of Vermont on the ground that such parish or mission has ceased to exist as a parish or mission under the canons and usages of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Vermont, such court may proceed in a summary manner, after such notice as the court may prescribe, to inquire into the merits of such complaint. If, upon examination by the court, it shall appear that the making of the order and disposition of the property applied for is necessary or proper for the cause mentioned in section 904 of this title, such court shall make a final order transferring the title to the property of such parish or mission to the trustees of the Diocese of Vermont for the purposes and uses set forth in section 904 of this title. Added 1969, No. 96, § 2; amended 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/27/007Fetched: 10/21/2026