The First Presbyterian Church of Burns, Oregon was organized August 10, 1896. The Rev. David H. Jones was the first pastor and served until June of 1897. The church building had been purchased from the Methodists for $500. The first manse cost $865, and a windmill, $75. The charter membership included: Mrs. M. M. Harney, Mrs. Amy R. Byrd, Mrs. King, Mrs. Caroline Johnson, and Annie Hope Jones. The first trustees were W.C. Byrd, Mrs. Amy Byrd, and J.B. Tipton. Ruth Miller was the first woman to serve as an elder.

The first two elders, G.E. Shaver and L.E. Hubbard, were chosen December 17, 1889. The Rev. A.J. Irwin began preaching in outlying churches, as well as Burns. The ladies Aid was organized in 1904 and is still active as the Community of Pioneer Presbyterian Women (PPW). The Rev. Fred Swanson (1936-1954) had the longest ministry and was the leader in the building of our present Pioneer Presbyterian Church, lifting the church from a struggling, small congregation to a self-supporting group. The groundbreaking ceremony was held June 2, 1946 with Mrs. William Handley, a generous contributor, turning the first spade of earth. The building was completed and officially dedicated on April 19, 1953. On November 6, 1943, the congregation voted to change the name to Pioneer Presbyterian Church.

In 1970, Pioneer Presbyterian Church and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church decided to share one minister between the two churches. The Rev. B. Sheppard Crib, an Episcopal priest, served both congregations until March 1976. Following the May 31, 1984 retirement of Rev. Karl Christ, a Presbyterian minister, the congregation voted to dissolve the “Plan of Cooperation” with St. Andrew’s. Rev. Jean Hurst, began her ministry on May 1, 2004 until her passing on January 11, 2022 after a long battle with cancer. She had the second longest ministry with Pioneer.

In 1996, Pioneer celebrated its Centennial Year and joyfully entered into its second century of ministry and mission in the name and for the sake of our Lord, Jesus Christ.