Norman Taggart was born in Belfast and is a graduate of Queen's University (BA, BD and PhD). He trained for the ministry of the Methodist Church at Edgehill College, Belfast, and has served in both North and South of Ireland and in India, London and Sri Lanka. He retired in 2001 from Coleraine and Ballymoney. A concern for mission and unity has been a feature throughout his ministry. He was President of the Methodist Church in Ireland from 1997 to 1998 and is a Patron of the NI Council for Integrated Education.