Bigfork will grow a little bigger this week when pastor Mel Haug begins work at Crossroads Christian Fellowship on Feb. 5. Haug is moving to Bigfork along with his wife, Denise, from the tri-cities in Washington and is bringing 29 years of music education and a lifetime of ministry work with him.

Haug graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in music education and earned his pastoral credentials from “the school of hard knocks” while serving as a youth pastor, co-pastor and working to improve the community until five years ago when he helped found The Living Room church.

“It's nondenominational, so it was kind of crazy and felt like we were called to do it,” Haug said. “It's something that I've always been a part of, I just paid my bills by teaching.”

With a congregation of 700 only five years after it's inception, it seems that leaving now to come work in Bigfork is an unexpected turn for Haug, but he has his reasons for moving six and a half hours east of where he grew up and where his kids and nine-month-old granddaughter live.

“There's only one reason, we (Haug and his wife) felt lead in that direction,” Haug said. “I wasn't looking for a job or running from anything, really it just comes down to we felt God leading us in this direction.”

As a music teacher, music has played a big role in Haug's ministry in the past. Thanks to connections with musicians in LA such as Mark LeVang, Haug helped organize charity concerts that bring in about $35,000 to the community and Haug hopes to bring similar events and outdoor summer concerts to Bigfork.

Shortly after arriving in Bigfork, Haug plans to get involved with the community and find where he and the church can help the most.

“That's rewarding and it's what gets me pumped, to know we're making a difference to help the community,” Haug said. “That's part of the church, to serve people outside the four walls and make a dent in the community; I feel that the church needs to have very long arms.”

Although Bigfork will be a new experience for Haug, it won't be unfamiliar as he spent four years living and teaching in Libby. Golfing and fishing are on Haug's list of things to do for fun after settling in to his new home and it won't be long before he will be seen riding his Honda Goldwing motorcycle around Flathead Lake and in Glacier Park.

Haug said it was difficult to say goodbye to his hometown, his old church, and all the people he knows there, but “felt blessed” they were understanding of his move.

“I'm adding to my church family, the church here and the church there,” Haug said. “I would like to think of them as sister churches, maybe combine resources and tools to get together and make an even bigger impact together than alone.”