Previous | Next

17-1716b. Same; determination of whether church extinct. (a) Any Congregational Church, Congregational and Christian Church or any church or society affiliated with the Kansas Congregational and Christian Conference, the Central-South Conference of the Congregational-Christian Churches and the Kansas City Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, in this state which: (1) Has ceased or failed to maintain religious worship or services, or to use its property for religious worship or services according to the tenets, usages and customs of such church or society in this state for a period of two consecutive years immediately prior thereto, or to protect its property from exposure, waste and dilapidation, or to fulfill the purposes for which it was organized, created or incorporated; or (2) has diminished in membership or financial strength so as to render it impossible or impracticable for any such church or society to maintain its organization, shall be deemed and taken to be extinct and may by an order of the district court of the county in which such church or society has been theretofore situated to be so declared extinct and dissolved. Thereupon all the property of every kind of such church or society, or property which may be held in trust for such church or society shall be transferred to, and the title and possession thereof vested absolutely in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ.

(b) This section shall not affect any existing reversionary interests in the property or any liens existing thereon.

(c) The intent and purpose of this section is to preserve for religious purposes all property owned by or held in trust for any such extinct church or society.

History: L. 1933, ch. 157, § 2; L. 1981, ch. 100, § 2; July 1.