It is located in the village of Melbu on the island of Hadseløya.

It is one of the churches for the Melbu parish which is part of the Vesterålen prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

The church remained standing until at least 1750, but it was in "fragile" condition by then.

In 1919, Mrs. Maren Fredriksen from the Melbu farm sought to have a church located in the Melbu area to serve the people in that area.

She donated land south of the farm in 1932 for the church and a surrounding graveyard with room for about 160 graves.