Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church was dismissed from the Pittsburgh Presbytery yesterday so it could join a more conservative denomination -- the first of what could be several votes over divisive theological and ecclesiastical questions.

The dismissal was the culmination of six months of discussions precipitated by the Mt. Lebanon church's overwhelming vote in April to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

The vote by the presbytery's clergy and elders was 174 for dismissal and 73 against, with two abstentions.

The action takes effect immediately.

According to the settlement between the presbytery and the 400-member church, Beverly Heights will keep its building and land -- together valued at more than $1 million -- and the rights to its name.

In exchange, it will pay the presbytery $250,000 over 10 years and forfeit $46,655 in a trust account.

The presbytery and church also agreed to not sue each other.

"It is our hope and prayer that we can put these issues behind us and get on with the ministry of Christ in the city of Pittsburgh and beyond," the Rev. Doug Portz, acting pastor to the presbytery, said after the vote, which was taken at Mount Hope Community Presbyterian Church in Penn Hills.

Yesterday's dismissal likely sets the stage for other churches desiring to leave. With an eye toward that, the presbytery announced that churches seeking dismissal must give notice before Dec. 31, although extensions can be granted until March 31.

Beverly Heights had been part of the New Wineskins Association of Churches, theologically conservative congregations within the Presbyterian Church (USA). The group devised a strategy for congregations wishing to leave the denomination to affiliate with the much smaller Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

In 2005, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church had 175 churches in 29 states and about 70,000 members. The Presbyterian Church (USA) numbers 2.3 million members in 1,100 churches in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

The Rev. Rick Wolling, pastor of Beverly Heights, could not be reached yesterday for comment. He has said before that he believes the Presbyterian Church (USA) has turned from classical Trinitarian theology and from belief that Jesus is the son of God and sole savior of humanity.

In the 20-minute, often emotional discussion preceding yesterday's paper ballot vote, speakers argued for and against the dismissal of Beverly Heights.

The Rev. Ken Love, pastor of Kerr Presbyterian Church in Penn Hills, said he could not, "in good conscience, make an affirmative vote to divide the body of Christ."

Andrew Purves, a professor of pastoral theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, quoted John Calvin that "separation from the church is denial of God and Christ," adding that "separation and complicity in separation are acts of theological unfaithfulness."

Don Behnke, an elder at Clinton United Presbyterian Church, countered that not allowing Beverly Heights to leave could muddy the larger church's mission, sending a message "that we are more concerned about money than we are about serving Jesus Christ."

"If a church is not happy in the denomination it serves, it should feel free to leave," Mr. Behnke said.

A second church in the Pittsburgh Presbytery and one church in the Washington Presbytery also have taken congregational votes to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA). They are Memorial Park Presbyterian Church in McCandless and Peters Creek Presbyterian Church.

"I am grateful that the presbytery chose to honor the request of Beverly Heights Church in letting them go, because they made that decision out of an act of faith," said the Rev. L. Rus Howard, pastor of Peters Creek.