Page 13 - Plan of Organization 2015-0919

The legal officers of the District are: the Moderator, Treasurer, District Board Chair, and
District Board Secretary (District Executive) and are authorized to execute all documents on
behalf of the District.

ARTICLE 4

Property Holdings, Financial Resources, & Dissolution Statement

4.1 Property Holdings. All members of the Southern District of Pennsylvania
Church of the Brethren acknowledge they are brothers and sisters of the same family through
Jesus Christ. Though all of the same family, the District is comprised of individual
congregations. Historically, the Church of the Brethren has encouraged individual congregations
to control their own future and affairs within the parameters of the teachings of Jesus Christ and
the doctrines of the Church of the Brethren. Though each congregation legally owns its own real
and personal property, recognition is given that the family of the Church of the Brethren has
equitable title. In light of present legal realities, in the absence of formal recognition by each
congregation of this balance of legal and equitable title, and in the event of a fragmentation of a
congregation, a civil court could award the property to a majority of the congregation. To avoid
this potential, congregations are encouraged to acknowledge a trust/fiduciary relationship
between the District and the congregation. This can be accomplished, either through
amendment of the congregational by-laws or a formal Trust Agreement, to be effective and
binding in the event a majority of the membership of any congregation wishes to disassociate
itself from the Church of the Brethren. To that end, the District would avail itself to serve as
Trustee for such purposes. For all other issues regarding property holdings and financial
resources, the District will defer to the denominational polity as a guide. (SEE CHURCH OF
THE BRETHREN “Manual of Organization and Polity.)

4.2 Dissolution Statement. Southern Pennsylvania District, Church of the Brethren,
though individually incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a part of the Church
of the Brethren denomination with general offices located at 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin,
Illinois 60120. In the event of, or upon dissolution, the net assets of this Corporation shall be
distributed to the Church of the Brethren.

ARTICLE 5

District Board

5.1 Purpose and Function. The District Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board,
shall manage and administer the work of the District as authorized by District Conference. The
Board is the legal agent of the District and shall be empowered to act on behalf of the District
Conference ad interim except for those actions specifically reserved for District Conference as
set forth in the bylaws.

The Board shall:

(1) Fulfill the directives of the District Conference.

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