Black churches in New Jersey might never be the vanguard on marriage rights, but the institution is starting to be more accepting of gays and lesbians in the pews.

The Star Ledger interviewed a number of black church leaders  in the Newark area.  The ministers know there are gays and lesbians in the choir and running Sunday school programs. The Rev. Ronald Slaughter of St. James AME offered that 60 to 70 percent of churches have gay congregants.