In the Novovodolazhskyi district of the Kharkiv region lies the picturesque village of Melikhivka, previously known as Lenivka until 1920. At the center of the village stands a church in honor of St. Nicholas. According to archival data, a wooden church with one altar was built here in 1745. Mentions of the church can also be found in 1798. In 1880, thanks to the efforts of the parishioners, a stone church with a bell tower was erected, covered with iron, plastered, and painted inside. Saints were depicted on the walls between the windows, and the church was painted on the outside. The church's bells were renowned for their ringing, which, according to local residents, could be heard even in Nova Vodolaha. In 1880-1881, a stone fence with iron grilles was built around the church, inside which was a burial vault. The church owned 66 desyatinas of land. In 1915, the church staff included two priests, one deacon, and two psalmists. In 1895, a church parish school opened, in 1880, the first zemstvo school, and in 1915, the second zemstvo school.

The history of the St. Nicholas Church during the Great Patriotic War was tragic. The church endured artillery shelling, but the bells were lost. In the 1960s, there were attempts to blow it up, but all efforts were unsuccessful. Atheists destroyed the cross, the porch, and the dome, and the building was used as a warehouse for cement, grain, and fertilizers. Currently, a Orthodox community is registered in Melikhivka, and Father Dmitry Tarasov has been appointed as the rector of the church. The church is beginning a new life: parishioners removed soil contaminated with chemicals, and specialists conducted decontamination, as the pesticide levels exceeded the norm by 20 times. New windows have been installed, a drum and dome have been erected, and in the near future, roof reconstruction, door installation, and interior finishing work are planned.

On November 20, 2009, with the blessing of Metropolitan Nikodim, Archpriest Vladimir Voskoboynikov consecrated the new dome and cross of the church. Thanks to the efforts of the parishioners, the roof and pavement were reconstructed. On May 22, 2013, on the feast day of St. Nicholas, a mosaic icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was installed. On August 17 of the same year, an important event took place in the village: the consecration of the cross at the entrance and exit of Melikhivka. The crosses were erected in honor of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus and the 20th anniversary of the glorification of the Slobozhansky new martyrs.