A church magazine which has kept parishioners in touch with community news for more than a century is looking for a new editorial team as its co-editor and typesetter prepares to retire in the autumn.

Rev Chancellor Geoffrey Morris has been editing the Grapevine from his rectory at Lampeter Velfrey since 1972.

But he is retiring in October and will need to hand over the responsibility.

Chancellor Morris admits it is quite a commitment and would ideally need a rota of at least three people.

The magazine takes about three days a month to edit and typeset and on press day he sometimes burns the midnight oil to include contributions that arrive at the eleventh hour.

"It's not ideal when news arrives late but sometimes it happens and I try to include it if I can,'' he says.

The magazine was first published in 1897 and Chancellor Morris took it on in 1972. There was a five year gap in publication, but in 1983 it was resurrected under the title Grapevine and has been published every month but one since then.

It has 800 subscribers across the St Clears Deanery and, despite a very reasonable annual subscription rate of £4, has notched up a profit of more than £7,000.

"We haven't had to change our subscription or advertising rates for nine years because the magazine is still making a profit,'' says Chancellor Morris.

Editorial responsibility for the magazine will have to pass to a member of the clergy but volunteers are needed to typeset the pages for printing.

A keen writer, Chancellor Morris has enjoyed his role as editor. He has published several books on local history and plans to write when he retires.

He is not afraid to provoke debate through his monthly editorials in Grapevine.

"One of my editorials criticised Tony Blair when he retired; that probably generated the most correspondence,'' he recalls.