When I was a kid, back in the 70's one of my Junior School teachers used to read us stories which if my memory serves concerned a clergyman who had a wooden statue of Christ in his church that would come to life and help him when he needed advice. They were not religious stories as such but I always remember them as being interesting. It was not really kids stuff but this teacher targeted these tales, in his words, at the more intellectual members of the class. Anyone recognise the subject and help with titles or the name of the author?
Sounds like the Don Camillo stories by Giovanni Guareschi. The first book in the series was The Little World of Don Camillo. Radio4 have dramatised a fair number of them over the years, woth Joss Acland as the voice of God