It shall be lawful for any congregation, church or society, now or hereafter existing in the State of Illinois, and which is under the patronage, control, direction or supervision of any ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, agreeably to the laws thereof, to become incorporated according to sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this act. Such ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer may nominate and appoint, according to the usages, customs, rules, regulations, articles of association, constitution, by-laws or canons of any ecclesiastical body, diocesan or like ecclesiastical officer, or sect, or denomination, two or more of the members of such sect, or denomination, residing within any ecclesiastical district, or diocese, to act with the presiding officer, or authorized representative of any ecclesiastical body, or with the diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, having jurisdiction, agreeably to the laws of any sect, or denomination, over such ecclesiastical district, or diocese, in managing the temporal affairs of such congregation, church or society. The presiding officer, or authorized representative of any ecclesiastical body, or the diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer having jurisdiction as aforesaid, shall, by virtue of his office, be a trustee of any congregation, church, or society which shall hereafter be incorporated under sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this act, and which shall be under the patronage, control, direction, or supervision of any ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer aforesaid.
805 ILCS 110/46a