N.Y. RCO Law § 321-A

§ 321-a. Use of certain names by religious corporations. 1.\nNotwithstanding any provisions of this chapter or of any general,\nspecial or local law, the two denominations formerly known as The\nMethodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church having\nunited into one under the name of The United Methodist Church, all\nreligious corporations or churches heretofore authorized to use or be\nknown by the names Methodist Church or Evangelical United Brethren\nChurch, and all societies, conferences, boards, associations,\ncorporations or other organizations duly connected therewith or\nsubsidiary thereto shall eliminate from their respective names the word\nor words The Methodist Church or Evangelical United Brethren or add The\nUnited Methodist Church, as the case may be and all such churches,\ncorporations and other organizations shall hereinafter be known by such\nnames as changed and amended by this section.\n 2. The changes and names provided for by this section shall not in any\nrespect change the identity or affect, abate, defeat, alter or annul any\nof the rights, privileges, property rights, obligations, liabilities or\nduties of any of said churches or corporations aforesaid, all of which\nshall remain in full force and effect as though their respective names\nhad not been so changed.\n 3. All churches, corporations, organizations or unincorporated\nassociations using the changed names as provided in this section shall\ncontinue to have and be possessed of all of the interest, property and\nrights to which they are or may become entitled under their former\ncorporate names or other respective designations.\n