SECTION 1. (a) Every Parish, on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each year, or as soon thereafter as may be convenient or as existing Parish charter provisions may require, shall hold a Meeting of the Congregation, at which meeting the Congregation shall elect30 Vestrypersons. The Wardens are to be selected in accordance with existing Parish charter provisions.
(b) Notice of the time and place of this meeting shall be given at a public service of the Congregation at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of such meeting, and in addition thereto, a written notice of the time and place of such meeting shall be given to each member of the corporation entitled to vote at such meeting, addressed to each member at his or her last known address, as shown by the Books of the Corporation, and placed in the United States Mail, postage prepaid, not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of such meeting.
SECTION 2.31 Qualified voters at such election shall be all communicants in good standing of such parish, who shall have attained the age of 16 years and who shall have been contributors of record toward the support of said Parish during the period of one year next preceding such election, of which the Treasurer's books shall be the only competent evidence.
SECTION 3.32 The Vestry of every Parish shall consist of the Rector, when there is one, two Wardens, and Vestrypersons. The number of Vestrypersons, which shall not be less than five (5) no more than twenty-five (25), shall be fixed by each Parish in its charter. Vestrypersons and Wardens shall be communicants in good standing of the Parish who shall have attained the age of 16 years and have been members of the Parish for at least six (6) months, and who are entitled to suffrage at its annual meeting at which they are elected.
Vestrypersons and Wardens shall be elected for such terms and on such conditions (consistent herewith) as may be provided in the Charter of the respective Parishes, and shall hold office until their successors are elected and shall have qualified. Vestries shall have power to fill all vacancies in their membership.
A quorum of the Vestry shall consist of not less than one-third (1/3rd) of all its members, provided that the Vestry shall not have power to elect a Rector or to mortgage or sell real property of the corporation unless there be present and voting in favor thereof a majority of all such Vestry.
SECTION 4. The Rector or Senior Warden, or, in the absence of both, the Junior Warden, may call a meeting of the Vestry; a meeting shall be called on the request of three members of the Vestry. The Rector, or in his absence the Senior Warden or Junior Warden, shall give timely notice of the annual Parish meeting at which Vestrypersons are elected as provided in these Canons; and Special Parish Meetings may be called by the Rector or Wardens at any time, and shall be called upon the written request of not less than twenty-five (25) communicants in good standing of the Parish.
SECTION 5. The Vestry shall administer the temporal affairs of the Parish; shall elect and call the Rector; and the Wardens shall provide for the regular and well-ordered worship of Almighty God, and shall cooperate with the Rector in all efforts to develop and set forward the spiritual life of the Parish.
The Vestry shall keep the Church, at all times, in proper condition for its uses, and shall give proper care to all buildings and grounds belonging to the Parish.
SECTION 6. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed at any Parish Meeting or at any meeting of the Vestry.
SECTION 7. The Rector of a Parish shall have the charge of all things affecting the spiritual interest of the Parish, subject only to the Bishop. It shall be his or her duty to regulate the worship of the Church, together with all that appertains thereunto. He or she may designate, from time to time, subject to the approval of the Bishop when necessary, fit persons to assist him or her in all duties which may be performed lawfully by Lay Persons. He or she shall be entitled, at all times, to access to the Church and other parish buildings, to open the same for public worship, for religious instruction, for the administration of the Sacraments and for the conduct of all Offices authorized by this Church. He or she shall have the spiritual direction and control of all Church Schools, Guilds, Auxiliaries, Societies and other associations connected with the parish. The Rector, when present, shall preside at all Parish and Vestry meetings.