If Immanuel United Methodist Church hadn’t been open for its annual Christmas meal, Archer Johnson would have spent the day on the street.

Since it was raining Friday — a chilly spray clung to coats, hats and scarves like mist from a summertime sprinkler — Archer was happy for the reprieve.

“It’s hard when you don’t have no income,” said Archer, 50, of Kenosha. “You think I want to be outside on a cold day?”

Archer was one of more than a dozen people who spent Christmas Day warm and dry inside the church at 5410 Sheridan Road, which doubles as a homeless shelter on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as part of the Shalom Center’s Interfaith Network Night Shelter, or INNS, program.

Despite the economic hardships that have left otherwise self-sustaining people without homes and other resources this past year, organizer Marietta Huff said the crowd Friday was smaller than in the past.

“What I think we’re seeing this year is a lot of people opening their hearts and letting people stay with them,” said Huff, who began serving Christmas lunch and dinner for homeless people 15 years ago.

“It’s a wonderful thing,” Huff added. “Sure we’ve got leftovers, but its a wonderful thing that people have a place to go.”

And plenty to eat.

After 60 people crowded the tiny church basement last year — and volunteers served every last scrap of food to hungry guests — Huff planned for a crowd of about 70 this year.

By mid-afternoon, only about 25 people had stopped in for turkey, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables and lasagna — a Christmas staple in a community with Italian roots like Kenosha.

“I bring the desserts,” said Karen Schellin, Huff’s sister-in-law, as she sliced a pan of peppermint brownies.

Schellin and her 14-year-old daughter, Lauren, have volunteered for the past five years at the Christmas meal. About 10 people volunteered Friday, each working shifts of about two hours for the day-long event, which included lunch and dinner.

“It’s nice to help out,” Lauren Schellin said. “I would just usually sit at home and mess around on the computer or play with my new toys.”

Archer said he and others appreciate that volunteers take time away from their homes and holidays to help those who nowhere to go and, arguably, little to celebrate.

“I had a life. I wasn’t always raggedy like this,” said Archer, who said he lost his Chicago apartment after a neighbor’s fire before a knee injury, and surgery to repair the damage, left him unable to work.

“I didn’t plan this,” Archer said. “...I’m doing everything I can, but I have to have patience. It’s one day at a time.”