(a) As used in this section, “church” shall include ecclesiastical societies and specially incorporated churches.

(b) All churches being members of the Lutheran Church in America shall have power to receive and hold by gift, grant or purchase all property, real or personal, according to the constitution, bylaws and constitutional enactments of the Lutheran Church in America and of the synod to which such churches belong and shall have and exercise all the powers of bodies corporate by their trustees.

(c) When two or more such churches have merged or have been united in accordance with the usages, rules, constitution, bylaws and constitutional enactments of the Lutheran Church in America and of the synod to which they belong and by the vote of each of such churches, the title to all real and personal property of such churches, by the act of such merger or union, shall vest in the trustees of the resulting church. The president of the synod approving such merger or union shall lodge, in the office of the town clerk of each town wherein any of such real property is situated and in the office of the Secretary of the State, a certificate executed in the manner required for deeds of real property, describing such real property and stating the names of the former churches and of the new one so formed, the date of union or merger and the names of the trustees of the new church; which certificate shall have the effect of a recorded deed. Any church resulting from such union or merger shall be liable for all existing debts and obligations of the merging churches. All gifts and legacies, vested or unvested, to any of the merging churches shall inure to and vest in the resulting church.

(d) Upon the dissolution of any church having membership in the Lutheran Church in America, in accordance with the constitution of said Lutheran Church in America, the president of the synod of said Lutheran Church in America having jurisdiction thereof shall file a certificate executed as a deed for real property in the office of the town clerk of each town in which the real property of such dissolved church lies stating the name of the dissolved church, the date of dissolution and the location of the principal office of the synod, which certificate shall have the effect of a recorded deed of such real property and of the personal property of such dissolved church to such synod; and thereafter such synod shall hold, manage and convey such real and personal property at its sole discretion in accordance with the constitution of the Lutheran Church in America.

(e) All congregations formed after October 1, 1969, for membership in the Lutheran Church in America shall be incorporated under the general statutes.

(1969, P.A. 177.)